The Necklace
by Raven Nyx
Summary: Akane bought a mysterious necklace that would unlock her past and cloud her future. Could she pull through? Finally, the last chapter is up!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** Characters used in the story are creations of the great Rumiko Takahashi.  
  
**Author's Note:** Please read and review. This is my very first and hopefully not my last fanfic. Thanks!  
  
By the way,  
  
"..." for speech  
  
{...} for thoughts  
  
... for sounds  
  
**THE NECKLACE**  
  
by Raven Nyx  
  
**Chapter 1  
**  
Despite it being a Wednesday afternoon, a school day, Nerima's Shopping District was bustling with activity. People, young and old, were happily going in and out of stores with shopping bags and gift boxes in hand. Food shops were teeming with people. The chill in the air hinted the approaching holidays. It was barely two weeks from Christmas.  
  
Akane and her closest friends, Yuka and Sayuri, were among the milling crowd doing their own Christmas shopping. Yuka and Sayuri were already carrying two paper bags each. Akane was yet to make a purchase. She had already bought presents for her father and sisters and Mr. Saotome the other day. She even bought Happosai a gift. It was after all a season for giving. As for Ranma, she was still trying to figure out how she was going to finish the sweater she was knitting him. The armholes and collar were proving to be a challenge, that is, the lack of them. So, her shopping agenda for the afternoon was to shop for herself. However, one coffee shop and thirty-one stores later, she was yet to find something she really wanted.  
  
Akane sighed. Her feet were starting to ache.  
  
"I don't think I'll be buying anything today, guys. Let's go home."  
  
"You sure, Akane? We've yet to finish this alley," Yuka motioned to more crowded stores ahead.  
  
"Positive."  
  
Akane and her friends slowly made a turnaround. No longer on the lookout for good buys, they moved quicker through the busy alley. Suddenly a glint from a shop's display window on Akane's left caught her eye. Without her friends noticing, she abruptly stopped in front of the display window. She was clearly mesmerized by what she saw and oblivious to the people squeezing past her.  
  
"... right, Akane?," Yuka intoned as she tried to get Akane to agree with what she was saying. There was no reply.  
  
"Akane?"  
  
Sayuri and Yuka turned their heads to look at Akane. No Akane. They looked back and saw Akane standing in front of a small shop. The wooden sign hanging from a rusty metal bar above the shop's door read "A-Z Antiques".  
  
"Akane," Sayuri called as she and Yuka made a beeline back to where Akane stood. "What is it?"  
  
Still clearly entranced, Akane slowly pointed her finger at a particular trinket on display. Yuka and Sayuri strained to see what she was pointing at through the dust-coated glass window.  
  
The necklace that Akane was fascinated with was seemingly unremarkable compared to a pair of ruby red earrings, a silver ring encrusted with sparkling diamonds and a grasshopper brooch lined with emeralds beside it in a sterling jewelry box. The necklace's chain was of a very dull gold, tarnished by time. It had long lost its luster. However, hanging from the chain was an exquisite tear-shaped pendant of an iridescent blue gem. The dull color of the chain made the sparkling gem stand out.  
  
"Beautiful," Akane murmured.  
  
"Let's check it out," Sayuri said as she tugged Akane toward the shop's door. Yuka followed.  
  
Sayuri opened the door.  
  
Kling kling  
  
One by one, they entered the shop.  
  
In the shop's dim lights, the girls saw that it was cluttered with stained furniture and dusty shelves holding small vases and old books, toys and figurines. Stacks of still unopened crates lined the wall behind the display window. Other than cobwebs, there were old crystal chandeliers and a heavy wooden ceiling fan hanging from the ceiling. Everything seemed to be layered with dust. When they had wended their way towards the far backend of the shop, they saw a glass counter showcasing trinkets and other small items. An ancient cash register was set beside the counter. Behind the counter, a dark gray curtain blocked the view of a backroom.  
  
"Hello?" Yuka called as she leaned forward trying to peek behind the curtain.  
  
The girls gasped in surprise as an old man suddenly poked his head through the curtain. "Yes?"  
  
"Oh, sorry if I startled you," he said apologetically as he came out from the backroom. "I didn't hear you come in."  
  
Feeling rather stupid for their unfounded fear, they chuckled with relief.  
  
"So, what can I do for you?" Rubbing his hands together, he gave the girls a toothless grin.  
  
"Could we see the gold necklace on display?" Akane pointed in the direction of the display window.  
  
"Sure, sure." The old man got out from behind the counter and hobbled towards the display window. He took the necklace out of the display, rubbed it clean against his brown trousers and hobbled back towards her.  
  
"Thanks," Akane said as she took the necklace from him.  
  
The old man quickly got behind the counter, took out a mirror and set it on the counter. "Why don't you try it on?"  
  
"Yeah, Akane, let's see how it looks on you," Yuka added.  
  
"Okay." Akane nodded as she gingerly unclasped the necklace.  
  
Sayuri took the two ends from behind Akane and as she fastened it, Akane felt a surge of energy come through her body. It left a pleasurable tingling sensation that made her sigh and smile. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and admired the pendant resting on the white collar of her uniform. The gem seemed more radiant than when she first saw it.  
  
"It looks good on you," Sayuri said as she and Yuka looked at Akane admiringly.  
  
Akane smiled at her friends and then looked at the old man and politely asked, "How much would this cost?"  
  
"Just 1500 yen." The old man beamed.  
  
"I'll take it." Akane quickly rummaged through her bag for her wallet.

  
  
The sun was just setting when Akane arrived home. She sighed with satisfaction as she fingered the blue pendant of her new necklace. {It's perfect}, she thought. {It's as if I'm meant to have it.}  
  
"I'm home" Akane slid the door open and quickly took off her shoes.  
  
"Welcome back, Akane." Kasumi, her eldest sister, coming out of the kitchen greeted her with a sweet smile. "How was shopping?"  
  
"Wonderful!" Akane gushed. "I bought this beautiful necklace at a bargain," she said proudly as she placed her fingers on the necklace.  
  
"It's beautiful, Akane." Kasumi looked at Akane's necklace admiringly. She then remembered that she was preparing dinner. "Oh my! I forgot I was preparing dinner. You better go and change, Akane. Dinner will be ready in a while."  
  
"Mm." Akane nodded.

  
  
Dinner was served. As usual, the dinning area was filled with the sounds of chopsticks on rice bowls and chewing. Happosai stealthily fished a piece of pork from Genma. Genma was trying to steal a pickle from Ranma. Ranma caught his father trying to steal from him and gave him a swift kick to the head. Genma, at once, gave a tearful speech about raising an ungrateful son. Kasumi was giving her father, Soun, another cup of steaming rice. Akane and Nabiki were amused by the dinner antics of Ranma, Genma and Happosai. All seemed well.

  
  
Yawning, Akane closed her notebook. She had just finished studying for a history quiz. She glanced at the clock. It was almost one.  
  
"I better get some sleep," she said out loud. She shoved her notebook and pens into her bag and turned the desk lamp off. Beams of moonlight streaming through the window still faintly illuminated the room. She slowly stood up, closed the curtains and quickly flung herself into bed.  
  
Now that she was curled up in bed, she couldn't seem to sleep. Sighing, she turned to lie on her back. For the nth time, she unconsciously fingered the blue pendant as she stared up the dark ceiling. Another sigh escaped her lips. {Soothing.}  
  
She was still wearing the necklace. {It doesn't feel right to part with it}, she had justified when she decided to wear it to bed. Gradually, she felt her eyes getting heavier and her body relax. In a matter of minutes, she fell into a deep and dreamless slumber.  
  
The window suddenly slid open. The curtains fluttered as a strong wind breezed into the room. As sudden as the wind came, all was calm again. Too calm. There was a sense of foreboding in the air.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Characters used in the story are creations of the great Rumiko Takahashi.  
  
Author's Note: Hello! Thank you so much for your reviews. I'm glad that you enjoyed the first chapter. I hope you'll also enjoy this one. Keep those reviews coming!  
  
Again,  
  
"..." for speech  
  
{...} for thoughts  
  
THE NECKLACE  
  
by Raven Nyx  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Akane gradually opened her eyes. The sweet humming of the birds greeted her early in the morning. {Another school day}, she sighed.  
  
Yawning, she stretched her arms over her head and reluctantly sat up on her bed. She still felt sleepy. She peered at her clock. It was 8:24 am... 8:24 am! A sudden surge of panic coursed through her body at the thought of being late for school again. She was seldom late for school but since Ranma came, she had been late numerous times. Despite the fact that being late has already become a "habit", she still couldn't stand it.  
  
She roughly rubbed the sleep off her eyes and looked at the clock again. It was 6:25 am. She giggled at her mistake. {At least now, I'm definitely wide-awake}, she thought.  
  
She quickly stood up and started fixing her bed. As she was folding her blanket, she suddenly felt a light cold breeze touch her bare arms. She shivered. {That's odd.}  
  
She looked at her bedroom window and was surprised to see it wide open, the curtains swaying in the soft morning breeze. {Must have left it open}, she shrugged and walked towards the window to close it.  
  
When she got to her desk, she parted the curtains and slid the window shut with a thud. As she was about to close the curtains again, something on her desk caught her eye.  
  
To her amazement, lying on her desk was a beautiful red carnation. She rapidly blinked a number of times to test whether it was just her imagination. The carnation was still there. Tucked underneath it was a folded note – TO AKANE. {I wonder who's this from}, she thought as she picked up and unfolded the note. It read:  
  
Akane,  
  
Meet me at the park under the cherry blossom tree near the lake at 5:00 pm. I'll be waiting.  
  
S.S.  
  
A challenge letter. {Don't tell me it's another one of Ranma's fiancées}, she groaned. {But who? Ukyo? Kodachi?} She eyed the carnation warily assuming it might be laced with sleeping powder. {Hmm... S.S.? Don't tell me it's Shampoo? S.S. – Saotome Shampoo? The nerve!} In rage, her hand tightened on the letter. She quickly checked herself and took deep breaths to calm herself. {Or maybe it's from a new one? Well, tough luck}, she thought smugly. {I'm not goin —}  
  
Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted when her bedroom door swung wide open. Happosai quickly scurried in.  
  
"Come back 'ere, you old freak!" screamed a very upset girl-type Ranma wearing a drenched white tank top and yellow and blue boxers as she rushed into Akane's room. "That's the last time you'll try to put a bra on me while I'm sleeping!"  
  
Happosai hopped on to Akane's bed. "Can't an old man have his fun?" he said teary-eyed rubbing a lacy white bra to his cheek for comfort.  
  
"Not with me, you ain't!" Ranma gave Happosai a kick. He missed.  
  
"I'm not asking for much!" Happosai whined. "I just want to see you wearing this exquisite piece of underwear, the best in my collection!" The old man waived the lacy item at Ranma.  
  
"No way, you lecher!" Ranma angrily stomped her foot and threw a punch at the old man.  
  
Again, he missed. Happosai evaded Ranma's punch and nimbly leapt on her red head. "You understand, don't you?" the old man asked as he made a leap for Akane's bosom. "Akane-chaaannnn!"  
  
"Eeeeyaaaaa!" Akane's eyes fluttered shut as she reflexively clenched her right fist and did an uppercut. It hit its target. Happosai broke through the ceiling and flew out into the morning sky.  
  
Panting, Akane slowly opened her eyes, her left hand tightly clenched her chest in an effort to slow her racing heart.  
  
"Nice punch, Akane!" Ranma gave her a quick salute as she started walking towards the door. "You're really such a macho chick."  
  
"What did you say?!" Akane's mallet quickly materialized in her hands.  
  
"Nothing, nothing!" Ranma quickly ran out of the door.  
  
"The nerve! And so early in the morning," Akane muttered as she roughly brushed off splinters and dust from her hair and shoulders and stomped off to prepare for school.  
  
The note lay on the floor crumpled and dusty and forgotten after the chaos.  
  
********  
  
Upon hearing the school bell ring, Furinkan High students started standing up and putting their books and notebooks in their bags. It signaled the end of the school day. Corridors were filled with the laughter and chatter of students rushing out of the building.  
  
As Akane was shoving her notebooks and books in her bag, a note slipped from her algebra book and fluttered on to the floor. She leaned down to pick it up.  
  
"What the..." Akane said in surprise. It was the same note she received that morning. {Weird}, she thought. {I know I left this note at home.} She quickly looked around searching for the possible perpetrator. Everyone seemed to be going about his or her business. She scanned the note again.  
  
"Hey, Akane!"  
  
Akane almost jumped out of her seat. Her friends, Yuka and Sayuri, looked at her in disbelief.  
  
"You okay, Akane?" Sayuri said with concern. "You're kinda jumpy."  
  
Akane nodded and gave them a sheepish grin. "I'm fine. Just fine." She tucked the note back into her algebra book, which she hastily stuffed into her bag.  
  
As Akane and her friends wended their way along the corridor, Yuka asked excitedly, "So, are you up for a movie?"  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
Akane sounded less enthusiastic than she usually would be. She kept thinking of the letter tucked in her algebra book. Her curiosity was piqued. Who was this very persistent challenger? Was she ready to fight? Could she win? In the first place, why was she being challenged??? So many questions unanswered. So many questions...  
  
********  
  
The sky was burning bright orange and red signaling the setting of the sun. Akane walked briskly towards the park. {I hope I'm not yet too late}, she thought anxiously. Yet part of her wished that she were.  
  
Two hours ago...  
  
"Why don't we grab a bite to eat before the movie?" Akane suggested as she, Yuka and Sayuri rounded a corner to the movie theater. "I think we still have about an hour and a half to kill before the movie starts."  
  
"Good idea, Akane," Sayuri replied as she rubbed her tummy. "I'm starving."  
  
After an hour, Yuka, Sayuri and Akane were finished with their banana splits and parfaits. Yuka and Sayuri were excitedly talking about the movie they were about to watch. Akane was staring at her empty bowl while fingering her pendant. {Park... cherry blossom tree... near the lake... 5:00 pm... I'll be waiting... Akane... cherry blossom tree... 5:00 pm...} The contents of the note ran through her mind again and again like a broken record player. She didn't know what to do. Part of her wanted to ignore it. It would just be a waste of time. But part of her, a larger part of her wanted to find out what it was all about and satisfy her curiosity. What harm would it do?  
  
"...perfect for the role. Right, Akane?" Sayuri looked at Akane. "Akane?"  
  
"Hellooooo?" Yuka waved her hand in front of Akane's face. "Earth to Akane."  
  
"Huh?" Akane snapped back to reality. "Umm... Oh yeah, Principal Kuno is pretty crazy. No wonder his children are also a bit neurotic." Akane chuckled wryly.  
  
"That was the topic awhile ago," said Sayuri in disbelief. "We're already talking about the movie. Akane, are you okay? You've spaced out again. It's like the third time in the past hour."  
  
"If it's Ranma, we understand." Yuka teased grinning mischievously.  
  
"R—Ranma?!" Akane blushed furiously and turned her face away. "Of course not! What do I care about that idiot!"  
  
"Whatever you say, Akane."  
  
Yuka and Sayuri shared a knowing look and amused smiles.  
  
"One ticket please." Yuka slipped the money to the cashier at the ticket booth. The girls left the ice cream parlor at around half past four to buy tickets for the movie.  
  
Akane rifled through her bag for her wallet. She was next in line to Yuka. Sayuri was waiting for them by the popcorn stand.  
  
"Found it!" She said triumphantly as it was her turn to buy a ticket. Suddenly, she gasped. She pulled out not only her wallet but also the note she was struggling to ignore. She glanced at a wall clock at the movie theater and caught a glimpse of the time – 4:49 pm.  
  
Her gaze fell back to the note in her hand.  
  
"Yes, miss?" the cashier asked impatiently. "How many tickets?"  
  
{Oh, what the heck!} Out of impulse she made her decision. "Sorry, I'm not buying." She smiled apologetically at the cashier and intently strode towards Yuka and Sayuri waiting by the popcorn stand.  
  
"Let's go!" Sayuri chirped happily as Akane reached them. She turned to walk towards the cinema doors.  
  
"Wait, guys!" Akane exclaimed stopping Yuka and Sayuri in their tracks. "I'm sorry." Akane shook her head, her mind racing to come up with a plausible excuse. "I—I... umm... forgot I have to run a few errands for Kasumi," she lied.  
  
"Awww... Akane, that sucks!" Yuka wrinkled her nose in disgust.  
  
"I know," Akane whined, rolling her eyes. "But I promised."  
  
"No problem, Akane. Good luck with your errands"  
  
"See you tomorrow!" Sayuri called out as she and Yuka started walking towards the cinema entrance.  
  
"Thanks! Enjoy the movie. Bye!" Akane waved at her friends and quickly left.  
  
Twenty minutes later, panting, Akane stopped a few feet away from the cherry blossom tree near the lake. Beads of sweat trickled down her face as she tried to catch her breath.  
  
She looked around. The lake magnificently reflected the red and orange hues of the sky and was spotted with a few rowboats. The area of the park seemed deserted. She could only hear a faint tinkle of laughter and a jangle of a bell in the distance. The foot of the cherry blossom tree was in shadow. No one was waiting for her. No one.  
  
A myriad of emotions washed over her. Relief. Disappointment. Embarrassment. Regret. {I should have stayed and watched the movie. Silly Akane!} She shook her head in amusement at her own naiveté and uncontrollable laughter started bubbling up inside her. {Go home, Akane}, she mentally commanded herself. "Just go home," she murmured to herself on a suffocated giggle. She slowly turned around and started walking away.  
  
Suddenly, a movement behind her stopped her in mid-stride. She became aware of a presence behind her, watching her. Amusement was replaced with wariness. Her heart began to race. Her martial arts instinct kicked in. She was ready for anything or so she thought. She whipped around to face her opponent but was caught off guard at what met her gaze. 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Most of the characters used in the story are creations of the great Rumiko Takahashi.  
  
Author's Note: Hello! Again, thank you so much for your reviews. I'm sorry for the delay of this chapter. I was just terribly busy last week. I hope this chapter is worth the wait. By the way, there are references to episodes from the animated series (Just a spoiler alert!). Another warning, this chapter's a bit waffy so please bear with me. Anyway, enjoy and keep those reviews coming!  
  
Again,  
  
"..." for speech  
  
{...} for thoughts  
  
THE NECKLACE  
  
by Raven Nyx  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Soft smiling silver gray eyes. A warm smile showing off pearly white teeth. A handsomely chiseled face crowned with short dark brown hair.  
  
"Whoa! I'm not going to hurt you."  
  
Akane in a fighting stance faced a boy of around eighteen holding up his hands in surrender. He was tall, maybe as tall as Ranma. He was wearing a dark blue gi that clung to his broad shoulders and lean body and an immaculate white hakama that hid powerful legs. He was a martial artist – a kendoist to be exact – evinced by the sheathed sword hanging from his belt.  
  
Confusion and uncertainty flickered in Akane's brown eyes. {What the...Is he my challenger? Why? Yet I don't feel any danger from him.} She felt her strength and resolve waver as her adrenaline level dropped. {He's trying to catch you off guard!} Warning bells in her head went off.  
  
The boy took a step towards her.  
  
"DON'T!" Akane exclaimed. She took a step back. Her hand tightly clutched her school bag, ready to be used as a weapon or a shield. Her body again coiled and set for action. {See...}  
  
He frowned. "Please," he pleaded, his deep voice husky and soothing. "I'm not going to harm you. I just wanted to meet you and maybe get to know you."  
  
She stared at him blankly, hearing him but not understanding a word. {Meet? Get to know?}  
  
"I—I... uh, I was the one who sent you th—the note and... umm... the carnation," he stammered. He stared down at his feet trying to hide the blush that spread across his face but his crimson ears betrayed him.  
  
It took a few seconds before what he said hit her. {Note... carnation...} "Oh!"  
  
Her tense body instantly relaxed. The absurdity of how she had misunderstood the note and carnation and the situation she was in dawned on her and again, uncontrollable laughter bubbled up inside of her. She tried hard to stifle it as he sincerely said sorry and gave a quick bow of apology, but she couldn't help it and she burst out laughing.  
  
The boy stood stunned for a second but her laughter was so infectious that he started laughing as well. They both stopped after a few minutes. Akane was wiping tears off her face when she caught him watching her with an amused smile touching his lips. She suddenly felt conscious of how she looked. She quickly smoothed her hair. Her cheeks were on fire.  
  
"No... No, I'M sorry." She bowed low both in apology and in an attempt to hide her blushing face. "I misunderstood the note. Sorry."  
  
She heard the quick shuffle of feet and cloth and felt the boy's hands on her shoulders gently pushing her erect. She stared up at deep silver gray pools.  
  
"We'll call it even then," he said with a boyish grin. "By the way, I'm Shiro, Sakamoto Shiro."  
  
Akane was drowning in his eyes. A distant blare of a car horn brought her back to earth. Realizing how foolish, how unlike her she was acting, she mentally gave herself a kick. {Snap out of it, Akane!}  
  
"Hi! My name is Akane, Tendo Akane." She offered her hand and he took it in a firm handshake.  
  
Without letting go, he tugged Akane gently towards the cherry blossom tree and said, "Come. I've prepared snacks for us."  
  
She gazed at the warm hand covering hers and she couldn't help but smile. She let herself be led towards a picnic blanket set under the tree. She looked at it in surprise. Neither the picnic blanket nor the basket on it was there awhile ago. But she shrugged it off as merely an oversight just like her failure to see Shiro who was probably hidden by the tree's shadow.  
  
Shiro let go of her hand and knelt down on the blanket taking out two sandwiches and two sodas from the basket.  
  
"Sit, sit," he said as he handed her a sandwich.  
  
"Thanks!" Akane gratefully took it and plopped down beside him. Despite having eaten a banana split just that afternoon, she was famished and started wolfing down her sandwich.  
  
"I hope I didn't frighten you," Shiro said as he opened his soda can.  
  
"No, not at all," Akane said before taking another big bite. After chewing thoughtfully, she changed her answer. "Well, maybe a bit." Akane grinned sheepishly. "So Sakamoto-san— "  
  
"Please call me Shiro."  
  
"Shiro," Akane repeated, rolling the name in her tongue. The name had a familiar feel and ring to it. "Umm... how do you know me? I mean, have we met before or something?"  
  
"Well, how could I not know such a beautiful girl?" he said matter-of- factly flashing her another boyish grin.  
  
Flattered but determined to get an answer, she smirked. "Uh-huh..."  
  
"Okay, okay. I met you twice already."  
  
"Really?"  
  
Baffled, Akane stared at him trying to recall his face. What he said rang true but she couldn't remember. He was familiar to her – his name, his eyes, his smile – yet she had no memory of him.  
  
"Well, maybe 'met' is not the right term." He grinned. "I first saw you in an interschool drama competition. It was a production of Romeo and Juliet. You played Juliet."  
  
Akane didn't know whether to be embarrassed or proud of that production. Embarrassed because it was a disaster. Three Romeos. Two Juliets. A drunken master scene with Juliet-Ranma as the drunken master. Maybe proud of it because they actually won the competition even though the prize wasn't what they expected and... she got through the kissing scene with Ranma. She smiled.  
  
"And the second time?"  
  
"It was at the Miss Beachside competition."  
  
Now Akane was embarrassed. She wouldn't have joined that competition if it hadn't been for Shampoo challenging her. She didn't even win. Kasumi did.  
  
"So you just saw me and decided you wanted to meet me?" she asked skeptically.  
  
"Yeah!" Shiro smiled. "I wanted to know you."  
  
{Wow!} she thought. {I'm flattered.} He was so unlike the guys in school. He was mature and charming. So unlike her fiancé. {I hope this is not some kind of prank.} She looked around suspiciously.  
  
"Is there anything wrong?" Shiro asked with concern.  
  
"Nothing." She smiled at him reassuringly. "So, tell me about yourself?"  
  
"I'm eighteen, a student at...," he talked animatedly about himself. But as he went on with the half-truths and lies he had skillfully woven, his mind drifted towards a distant memory. {Chiyo-chan...}  
  
********  
  
A girl wearing a yellow and blue kimono embroidered with majestic cranes near the hem stood under the shade of a cherry blossom tree. It was late afternoon and the rose-dappled sky gradually darkened as the sun set. A strong breeze blew past her, lifting her long blue-black hair tied in a half-ponytail by a yellow silk ribbon and sending a rain of blossoms to fall around her.  
  
A boy in a white gi and a dark brown hakama appeared in the midst of the shower and intently walked towards the girl.  
  
She heard his approach and whipped around to face him. The girl was Akane.  
  
"Chiyo-chan."  
  
"Shiro-kun," Chiyo said happily. She ran towards Shiro and flung her arms around him. For awhile, they warmly held each other. The cherry blossom tree, the wind and the setting sun were silent witnesses to their affection.  
  
"I have a gift for you." Shiro reached in his gi and took out a velvet box.  
  
"What is it?" she asked, her eyes glittering with excitement.  
  
He gave it to her and smiled shyly. "Open it."  
  
Blushing, she gingerly opened the box. She gasped. Inside the box was a gold necklace.  
  
He reverently took the necklace out of the box. Dangling from the necklace was a blue teardrop pendant. He placed it around her neck and deftly fastened it. It gleamed in the fading light of the afternoon.  
  
"It's beautiful, Shiro." she touched the necklace and looked deeply into Shiro's eyes. "Thank you!" She smiled.  
  
He placed his right hand gently on her cheek.  
  
She covered his warm hand with hers.  
  
They kissed as another breeze sent a rain of blossoms that enveloped them in bliss.  
  
********  
  
The sun had already set. The early night sky was dotted with a few stars. Lampposts were already lit casting its soft light around the park  
  
For the past hour, Shiro told her about himself – his family, his childhood, his studies and his interests. In turn, she talked a little about herself – her family, the dojo and her interests. She purposely left out the part about being engaged. She wasn't comfortable revealing it to someone she just met. It was too personal.  
  
She immensely enjoyed his company. He was interesting. {Practices kendo, well traveled, has a good sense of humor, seems like a complete gentleman, he's good looking} – she smiled inwardly – {and... and he's NORMAL!} That was what made him so intriguing to Akane. He was NORMAL. He lived a normal life. He was a breath of fresh air in Akane's life. He wasn't cursed. He wasn't a cross-dresser, a megalomaniac, a prince of some sort or a voodoo practitioner. He wasn't hopelessly forgetful, eternally lost, completely perverted or madly in love with her older sister. He was simply Shiro... well, so far...  
  
"...and they all laughed. I avoided skating ever since," Shiro concluded his story about his sorry attempt at ice-skating as a kid.  
  
"Well, maybe I can teach you a thing or two about skating," she boasted, flashing him a brilliant smile. It was almost dinnertime. Kasumi was expecting her to be home before dinner so Akane regretfully had to end their picnic. "Anyway, I have to get going, Shiro. I really had a great time. Thanks!" She took a final sip of her soda and a drop rolled down her chin. "Whoops!"  
  
As she reached up to wipe it off, Shiro beat her to it. He gently placed his hand on her cheek and lightly brushed his thumb on her chin to wipe the drop off. At that moment, time stopped. She became painfully aware of the warmth of his hand and the deafening and rapid beating of her heart. Overwhelmed, she quickly pulled away. Time resumed. The moment was lost.  
  
She grabbed her bag and hastily stood up. "I have to go." She did not dare look at him for he might see that she was flustered. "Bye." She turned to leave but he gently caught her wrist.  
  
"I'll be here same time tomorrow." And with these words, he let go.  
  
Without a word, she stiffly walked away. When she was out of the park, she ran home. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** Most of the characters used in the story are creations of the great Rumiko Takahashi.  
  
**Author's Note:** Hello! Sorry for the delay on this chapter. I've been awfully busy. Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy reading it. It's my longest chapter so far. Again, thank you for your reviews. Keep them coming!

By the way, words in italics are thoughts.  
  
**THE NECKLACE  
**  
by Raven Nyx  
  
**Chapter 4**  
  
"Dinner's ready," Kasumi called out softly.  
  
Okays and yeahs followed by the patter of footsteps resounded throughout the house. Kasumi waited patiently at one end of the table with the rice cooker beside her. The table was laden with hot bowls of miso soup, a platter of pork tonkatsu glazed with a sweet sauce, another platter of steamed fish and a plate of buttered vegetables.  
  
Family and guests rushed into the room and eagerly took their seats.  
  
"Looks good, Kasumi!" Happosai exclaimed as he greedily eyed the feast on the table.  
  
"Why, thank you, grandfather Happosai." Kasumi smiled. She passed steaming bowls of rice to everyone.  
  
"Let's eat!"  
  
They all started digging in.  
  
Soun suddenly stopped, noticing the empty space beside Nabiki. "Where's Akane?" His voice was tinged with panic.  
  
"Oh, father, she said she's going out with her friends," Kasumi calmly explained.  
  
"Yeah," Ranma said as he stuffed a pork slice in his mouth. "She's with Yuka and Sayuri. I overheard they were going to watch a movie."  
  
"But... but... she should be home by now." Soun's eyes glazed with tears. "Oh, my baby!" Tears began streaming down his face.  
  
"Oh, please, daddy," Nabiki said, rolling her eyes. "Akane's a big girl. She can handle herself."  
  
"She's right, Tendo-kun," Genma agreed and resumed his frenzied eating.  
  
"I'm home!" Akane's voice rang from the entrance hall.  
  
"See," Nabiki said matter-of-factly to her father who was hastily wiping his tears off with his sleeve.  
  
After a few minutes, Akane shuffled into the room already out of her school uniform. "Sorry, I'm late." She quickly took her place beside Nabiki.  
  
"So, how was the movie?" Nabiki asked nonchalantly.  
  
"Huh? What movie?" Akane's brows furrowed in confusion.  
  
"Ranma told us you watched a movie with your friends." Everyone paused, waiting for her answer.  
  
"Oh! Right!" Akane giggled nervously. "Umm... the movie...it was great!" Her extra cheerful voice sounded hollow to her ears. The people around the table continued staring at her, expecting her to go on. Awkward silence.  
  
"Here, Akane," Kasumi said, handing Akane a bowl of steaming rice. She seemed oblivious to the expectant looks of people around the table and the pregnant silence that hung in the air.  
  
"Umm...No thanks, Kasumi. I'm really full," she quickly said, smiling apologetically and handing the bowl back to her sister. "Please excuse me." She stood up and made a hasty retreat.  
  
"Oh, my, this is going to grow cold," Kasumi gently exclaimed. "Anyone for seconds?"

Akane rushed into her room, hastily closed the door and leaned her body against it.  
  
"Phew!"  
  
She had narrowly escaped their prying eyes and unspoken questions particularly Nabiki's. Gradually the mixture of panic and anxiety she had felt at the table subsided but guilt left a hollow feeling in her stomach. She wasn't exactly honest to her family. But she shook it off with a rebellious streak. _They need not know my every action_, Akane stubbornly justified. _Besides, I have nothing to be guilty about. I just spent a wonderful afternoon with a new friend_, she thought, trying to convince herself. _Nothing's wrong with that._  
  
The tension from that afternoon and at dinner was not completely gone. She gently massaged the tight knots of muscles on her shoulders and back, rubbing the stiffness out. _I need a workout_, she decided and slowly walked to her closet to change.

  
  
"You know," Nabiki said thoughtfully, "I think Akane's hiding something."  
  
It was after dinner. The table had been cleared except for three steaming cups of green tea and a teapot. Happosai was out on his nightly prowl. Soun and Genma were, as usual, playing Shogi. Kasumi, Nabiki and Ranma were left in the dining room watching TV and sipping tea.  
  
"What makes you say such a thing, Nabiki?" Kasumi asked.  
  
"Her hesitation in answering a simple question, her unusually perky voice and her quick retreat to her room. Don't you think it's a bit suspicious?"  
  
"Nah!" Ranma quickly dismissed the question, eyes still glued on the TV. "She's just in one of her moods, that's all."  
  
"You don't know her like I do, Ranma." Nabiki propped her chin on her hand and eyed Ranma. "I bet she didn't watch a movie with her friends. Instead, she secretly met someone else and has been doing so despite your engagement. Why else would she be so evasive to innocent questions, hmm?"  
  
"I bet she is, Nabiki." Ranma smiled smugly at her. "I bet she is!"  
  
Kasumi gasped and said, "Oh, my! Akane wouldn't."  
  
"More of couldn't," Ranma started. "Akane secretly meeting someone else, my butt! Who'd want to date that uncute, macho chick anyway?!"  
  
"You forget, Ranma, that she's very popular among the boys at Furinkan High," Nabiki amusedly pointed out.  
  
"Puh-lease! She ain't dating none of them. I would know."  
  
"Mm-hmm." Nabiki looked at him with a raised brow. "And how can you be so certain?"  
  
"'Coz I'm her...," he hesitated and stared down at his fidgeting hands, a blush slowly creeping up his neck and spreading to his cheeks and ears. "I... uh, you know?"  
  
"No, we don't know, Ranma," said a very amused Nabiki. She gave Kasumi a wink.  
  
"I—I'm um... we're umm...," Ranma continued to stammer. Suddenly, it hit him. "Hey, wait a minute!" Ranma's expression went from wide-eyed surprise to a furious scowl in less than a second.  
  
Nabiki looked at him innocently and shrugged.  
  
"You and your stupid theories!" Ranma glared at Nabiki and stomped off.  
  
"Oh, my!"  
  
Nabiki snapped her fingers. "Drats!" She quickly took out a tape recorder from under the table and pressed stop. "Oh, well, I'll get another shot," she drawled.  
  
"Nabiki!" Kasumi admonished.

  
  
Ranma briskly strode to the dojo to let off some steam. Nabiki really got on his nerve. _Who does she think she is_, he simmered. _Akane seeing someone else! A cock and bull story if you ask me. An unlikely theory._  
  
When he reached the door, he saw Akane breaking a stack of cement blocks with a quick downward chop. He paused by the door hidden in shadow and silently watched her.  
  
Unaware of Ranma's presence, she piled another set of blocks, carefully arranging them into a neat stack. Once she was finished, she properly positioned herself, took a few deep breaths, and without warning let out a loud cry as her hand smashed the bricks with ease. A strand of blue-black hair strayed to her face. She tried to blow it away while she dusted her hands but the strand stubbornly clung to her cheek, wet with perspiration. Reluctantly she brushed it away with dusty fingers that left a smudge on her cheek.  
  
"You've got dirt on your cheek." Ranma casually stepped into the dojo and amusedly smiled at Akane.  
  
"Oh!" Akane exclaimed. "Ranma, you startled me."  
  
"It's over here." He gestured, pointing at his own cheek.  
  
"Oh, it's ok. I'm done and on my way to a warm and relaxing bath anyway." Akane brushed past him, wiping the sweat from her brow with her sleeve. "The floor is yours."  
  
_She's kinda cute_, he mused as he watched her saunter out of the room. _Oh, what was I thinking! Her? Cute?_ An unwelcome image of her laughing with someone else came to mind. The guy with her held her hand. A tight knot of anxiety formed in his stomach. Another overwhelming emotion he couldn't quite name gnawed at his insides and made him clench his fists in fury. _Impossible!_ He blotted out the unthinkable image with a shake of his head and began his routine of punches and kicks.

  
  
Akane was relaxing in a tub of warm water. It was so refreshing. She placed a warm hand towel on her head and sighed. The flesh of her fingers and toes were already becoming wrinkled from the long soak.  
  
Her thoughts were still with Shiro and their afternoon. She was strangely drawn to him. _We've only met and yet I feel like I've known him all my life. Why?_ She couldn't understand it.  
  
Her hand strayed to the pendant of her necklace. Should she see him again tomorrow? She felt a pang of guilt. She didn't know what to do. She stared off into space, her mind struggling to come up with answers.  
  
At first, there was a faint rap at the door. "Akane?" A voice called out, muffled by the wooden door.  
  
"Akane?" The doorknob rattled as someone attempted to open the door. It was locked. Akane had unwittingly locked it when she went in.  
  
"Akane?!" The voice was louder, alarmed and was now accompanied by a series of loud bangs that made the door shudder in its frame.  
  
"Akane!" The door flew open and Ranma came running into the laundry room and quickly slid the door to the bathroom open. "A—ka—ne..."  
  
Ranma stopped in his tracks. Akane was staring at him from the tub. She was jerked from her reverie by the crack and crash of the door. For a moment, they stared at each other, unblinking.  
  
Akane was the first to recover. "Aaaahhh!!! Get out!!!" Akane screamed. "Ranma, you, you pervert!!!"  
  
"Let me explain." Ranma ducked as a rubber duck, a bar of soap and a wooden basin came wheezing by, missing his ear by a centimeter. However, a mallet successfully smacked him on the face.  
  
"Out!!!"  
  
Ranma scrambled out the door as more objects flew past him and quickly slammed it shut.  
  
Akane was breathing hard. One hand tightly clutched a towel around her and the other was poised to throw the bathroom sink. The blue pendant shimmered on her moist skin as if inflamed by her fury.  
  
Leaning against the door and nursing his stinging face, Ranma tried to catch his breath. _I wasn't going to peek or nothing!_  
  
"What happened?" Soun demanded. He, Genma, Kasumi and Nabiki had dashed to the bathroom when they heard Akane's piercing scream. All eyes were on Ranma.  
  
"She's been in there forever. She wasn't answering. I thought she was in trouble," he explained in one breath.  
  
"Son, I know you're engaged," Soun began in a low voice, casually draping an arm around Ranma's shoulders. The draped arm slowly tightened around him in a choking grip. Failing to free himself from his future father-in-law 's death grip, Ranma started making strangled sounds. "But you shouldn't be taking such liberties. Not until you're married."  
  
Genma patted Soun's shoulder. "Now, now, Tendo-kun. The boy's just showing some interest. Isn't that a good thing?"  
  
Soun loosened his hold on Ranma, who sank to floor in fits of coughing. "You're absolutely right, Saotome-kun!" Tears welled up in his eyes.  
  
"Ranma, you sly dog!" Nabiki teased and then, she casually sauntered off.  
  
"It ain't like that!" Ranma managed to croak.  
  
"Son, you don't need to explain," Genma dismissed with a wave of his hand.  
  
"Saotome-kun, the future's brightening for the dojo!" Soun cried with joy. "Let's drink to celebrate. Kasumi, bring out some sake." Arm in arm, Soun and Genma pranced to the dining room.  
  
"You shouldn't be encouraging them, father. They're still too young." Frowning in disapproval, Kasumi followed them.  
  
Ranma groaned.  
  
Akane came out of the bathroom in her pajamas.  
  
"I didn't mean to—I was just—" Ranma tried to explain.  
  
She just walked past him with her head bowed, her expression hidden in shadow.  
  
Taken aback by her reaction – more of the lack of an explosive one –, he helplessly watched as she disappeared at the end of the hall that led to the staircase.

  
  
It was lunch break at Furinkan High. The 1-F classroom was a hotbed of activity. Most were eating and talking with friends. Some were catching some sleep, snoring away at their desks. Others were in a frenzy copying homework due in the next class.  
  
Ranma sat with his friends, Daisuke and Hiroshi.  
  
"Man, I envy you!" Hiroshi exclaimed, eyeing the bento box and the heart-shaped okonomiyaki on Ranma's desk.  
  
"How can you be so lucky!" Daisuke added. "You better share."  
  
"Knock yourselves out," Ranma offered, chuckling. He stole a quick glance at Akane.  
  
Akane with her head on her hand was sitting alone at her desk, staring out the window at a gloomy sky that seemed to match her mood. Her bento box set in front of her remained untouched.  
  
Ranma had been worried about her since last night. He had sensed a change in her. She seemed more subdued. Ranma expected a verbal and physical beating from her that morning but nothing happened, not a peep or mallet in sight. She had quietly entered the dining room for breakfast and took her seat. Despite her father and sisters' remarks and his vehement denials about last night, she silently ate her meal. On the way to school, he had tried striking up a conversation but he failed to draw any reaction except for occasional nods or mumbled answers. She seemed so distant. _Akane must be really, really mad at me_, Ranma thought guiltily as he stole another glance at Akane.  
  
Daisuke's voice jerked him from his thoughts. "Ranma?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Ranma said distractedly.  
  
"Ok, we'll get you a drink then"  
  
"What?" Ranma's brow furrowed.  
  
"We asked you if you wanted a drink and you said yes," Hiroshi said matter-of-factly. His palm faced up was thrust at Ranma. "And it's not for free, Saotome."  
  
"Fine." Ranma grudgingly handed Hiroshi the money and the two boys left.  
  
At that moment, Yuka and Sayuri had returned carrying brown paper lunch bags and were about to walk past his desk on their way to Akane. Ranma quickly took the opportunity to fish about what had happened yesterday hoping to unearth some other reason why Akane wasn't acting like herself.  
  
"Hey, guys! How was the movie yesterday?"  
  
"It was awesome!" Yuka said excitedly. "It has a wicked twist."  
  
"You'd never guess the ending," Sayuri said and added in a somber tone, "It's a pity Akane wasn't able to watch it with us. She said she had some errands to runs."  
  
"Oh," Ranma said and muttered under his breath, "I knew it!" Maybe he wasn't the reason for Akane's pensive mood after all. He felt immensely relieved for a moment but Nabiki's theory came to mind. _She was right about one thing_, he thought dejectedly.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Oh, well... anyway, maybe you could take her out to see it, Ranma," Yuka nonchalantly suggested and secretly flashed a smile at Sayuri.  
  
"Yeah, she really wanted to see that movie yesterday," Sayuri added, giving Yuka a surreptitious wink, and after giving quick good-byes, they both left a thoughtful Ranma.  
  
_Errands? What errands were they talking about?_ Ranma tried recalling last night's dinner conversation. There wasn't any mention of any errands for Akane. Mr. Tendo was even worried about Akane's late arrival. _Why would Akane lie about not watching the movie? Was it a school errand? Was she out with—_  
  
Hiroshi and Daisuke's return interrupted Ranma's stream of questions. The two boys were eager to start eating and get a taste of Ukyo's tasty okonomiyaki. Ranma's tummy also rumbled at the mention of lunch. He took a final look at Akane and resolved to casually ask her about her errands yesterday. That would clear things up. With that settled, he started stuffing himself with the meal Kasumi had prepared and okonomiyaki.  
  
At her desk, Akane was far from upset about missing the movie that her friends were animatedly talking about or about last night. Well, she was a bit upset about the bathroom incident but she unusually didn't feel like fretting about it. Her mind was bent on more important matters or specifically on one important question, should she see Shiro or shouldn't she? _Decide, Akane._  
  
As if in answer, her blue pendant gleamed.

  
  
Ranma and Akane were on their way home. Akane walked silently. She was resolved on seeing Shiro that afternoon but was still brooding on how to give everyone the slip. Ranma who was treading the fence with ease was also silently thinking of a way to start a conversation with Akane to ask about her missing the movie and her mysterious "errand".  
  
"Umm," they both began, breaking the silence.  
  
"Yes?" they again said in unison.  
  
"You go ahead, Ranma," Akane said a smile touching her lips. "What is it?"  
  
"Well, umm... I was wondering if you'd like to watch a movie with me," Ranma said quietly, taking Yuka and Sayuri's suggestion.  
  
"What?" Akane looked at him in astonishment. She wasn't sure if she heard him right.  
  
"You see, I found out from your friends that you weren't able to watch yesterday because of some errand," he explained. "So... I thought I'd take you to watch it." He peered at Akane's face for her reaction and being unable to read her expression, he quickly added, "Don't get me wrong! It's not like a date or nothing like that."  
  
Akane heard him all right. He was asking her to a movie. Odd but touching, she thought and inwardly smiled. But his last rude remark got her riled up, dashing the happiness she had just felt, and so she hastily replied, "Like I'd go out with you!"  
  
Ranma was elated that Akane was her old self again, leaving him tongue-tied for an instant. But soon her curt comeback washed over him, and immediately he flung the first insult that crossed his mind. "Uncute tomboy!"  
  
"Fine, fine." Akane's voice was laced with sarcasm. "Go ask your cute fiancées to the movie then!"  
  
"Maybe, I will!" Ranma retorted furiously. "See if I'd bother asking you again."  
  
"I don't care," she bit out.  
  
They tensely regarded each other. Ranma stood on the fence, glaring at Akane with his hands on his hips, his jaw taut with anger and his suspicions forgotten. On the street, Akane met his angry gaze with an equally contemptuous look, her arms crossed over her chest. Tension crackled in the air between them.  
  
Realizing that the situation offered a chance for escape, Akane broke the silence. She said flatly, "I'm not wasting my time glaring at you, Ranma." Her arms fell back to her sides. "I'm going to Sayuri's for an enjoyable Friday afternoon," she lied, emphasizing the word enjoyable, then she turned and walked away.  
  
"Fine!" Ranma snapped as he scowled at her retreating figure and irately added under his breath, "Uncute!" He was furious. He went out of his way to be nice to her and where did that get him? _And to think I was so worried about her_, he bitterly thought. He didn't understand Akane. When he was being honest, she often got upset. When he didn't do a thing, she'd be equally upset. Just now, when he was trying to do her a favor, she threw it in his face. He didn't get Akane at all. _Why does she have to be so difficult?!_ He sighed in frustration.  
  
He decided to go home. After the episode with Akane, he didn't feel like watching a movie anymore. He felt like training for an hour or so to release some of that afternoon's tension. Suddenly, his stomach grumbled. He checked his pockets and his bag for spare change to buy a snack with. He only found 150 yen. _Aww, man! What could I possibly buy with this much?_ he thought grumpily.  
  
As if in answer to his silent complaint, he heard a familiar voice call out his name. "Ranma honey!"  
  
It was Ukyo. She waved at him before putting up her shop curtain that read Ucchan's Okonomiyaki.  
  
"Hey, Ucchan!" Ranma greeted as he casually strolled towards her.  
  
"Come in!" Ukyo invited and gave her fiancé a brilliant smile. "For you, the meal's on the house." She winked, casually slipped her hand through his arm and led him into her store.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** Most of the characters used in the story are creations of the great Rumiko Takahashi.

**Author's Note:** Hello! I'm back. It's my sembreak and I took this opportunity to finish and post this chapter. I hope you'll enjoy this one. It'll give you a background on Shiro and Chiyo. I hope it's interesting enough and not too waffy for your taste. Again, thank you so much for your reviews. Keep them coming!

Again,

"..." for speech

_Italicized words_ for thoughts

**THE NECKLACE**

by Raven Nyx

**Chapter 5**

Shiro was patiently waiting for Akane. He was certain she was coming. He knew that she felt it, a connection, an invisible thread of destiny that bound them together. Fate had handed him the opportunity to see and even have his Chiyo... his Akane back again. _I promise that we'll soon be together._

He stood with his hands clasped behind his back under the shade of the cherry blossom tree where they had met yesterday. He silently watched rowboats lazily pass by. The sky was overcast making the afternoon cool and breezy and at the same time cold and ominous. A soft breeze gently caressed his face. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, letting the bittersweet memories of long ago come flooding back.

* * *

At the age of sixteen, he had become well trained in the arts and the code of the samurai. Like most of the boys in their village, he was trained to follow the noble line of samurais in his family. He hoped to one day bring honor to his family and to his country like his forebears.

Training was not limited to boys and men. Daughters of samurais were also taught to wield swords and bows, and to ride. Their training, however, was not for battle but for protection during times when husbands, fathers and brothers were in attendance to the emperor. Mizuki Chiyo was one of those who trained and one of the few who took training to heart. At the age of fourteen, she had become skilled with the sword and even capable of beating boys older than her in spars. But she was best with the bow. Her hands were steady and her aim true.

At one target practice, Shiro was standing twenty feet from the target, tightly gripping his bow and carefully aiming for the bull's eye. A few paces on his right stood Chiyo holding hers with ease. With the swing of a red flag, they fired. Shiro missed the center by a few inches and he shook his head in disappointment.

Beside him, Mizuki Taisho, respected daimyo or lord of their village, stepped forward and proudly patted his daughter's shoulder. She had hit the bull's eye. Chiyo looked up at her father and beamed at him. She then turned to her left and caught Shiro looking at her. She gave him a quick nod and a smile.

Shiro quickly turned away, pretending to be busy checking his bow's string. His cheeks burned. When he slowly took a cautious peek, she and her father had left.

Chiyo or Chiyo-chan as she was fondly called by the villagers was the only daughter of the daimyo and Mizuki Tomoe. She had three older brothers – all married – and a younger one whom she adored. Despite their privileged status in society, the Mizukis were close to the people. Her father, an honorable samurai, governed the people with passion, wisdom and justice and maintained peace in the village. Her mother, renowned for her beauty, intelligence and compassion, taught reading and writing at the local school.

Chiyo in her own right was adored by the villagers especially the children. When she was not in training, taking lessons from her mother or babysitting her little brother, she was often at the village square either playing with the young ones or telling them tales of adventure and fantasy. The children enjoyed the games but absolutely loved her stories. They always looked forward to afternoons with her, but they were not the only one.

Shiro would often wander to the village square when she was there. He'd casually watch her from a distance, fascinated by her skill in weaving tales, and capturing the children's imagination and bringing them to a world of make believe. He envied the young boys who had the courage to give her flowers that made her smile. He hopelessly had a crush on her and although she often acknowledged him with a polite nod or a smile when they met, he always lost his courage to talk to her.

Finally, God opened a window of opportunity. On his way home one late afternoon, he happened to pass by the village square. Chiyo was it in a game of tag with the kids. To catch a glimpse of her, he stopped by, pretending to tighten the ropes that bound the firewood he was carrying home. A thud and the children's cries jerked him from his task. He saw the kids rush to the injured and quickly he ran to them to help.

"Oh, don't cry," Chiyo soothed as some of the little ones began to cry. "I'm okay." She brushed the dust from her apple green kimono and tried standing up. "Ow!" Her knees buckled beneath her from the sudden pain that shot up from her left ankle.

"Excuse me," Shiro said as he made his way to Chiyo. "Are you okay?" His brows knitted with concern and his shyness dissipated.

"I think I sprained my ankle."

"Here, let me help you up." He crouched down beside her, took her left arm and brought it around his neck, and firmly wrapped his other arm around her waist. She leaned her weight against him. He slowly stood up and led her to a wooden bench with the kids trailing behind them.

He helped her take a seat. "Thank you," she smiled at him and turned to the children, dismissing them for the afternoon.

"Bye, Chiyo-chan!" the kids exclaimed and obediently left for their homes.

A little girl of around five stayed behind.

"Yes, Kaoru-chan?" Chiyo asked softly.

Kaoru timidly approached her. "I hope you'll be okay," she whispered sincerely, looking up at Chiyo with big amber eyes.

Chiyo smiled. "I will. Don't worry." She patted the top of Kaoru's head. "Now, go on home."

"Mm." The little girl smiled back, gave a quick nod, and hurriedly left.

When the girl was gone, Chiyo sighed out loud and gently bent down to check her ankle. She grimaced in pain when she touched it.

"May I?"

She nodded and he knelt down and gingerly lifted her foot. He looked at the ankle's swollen state. "Can you move your foot?"

She slowly moved her foot up and down and winced.

"Good, it's not broken. It's just a sprain," He concluded and carefully put her foot down. "I'll take you to Doctor Fukuda."

"Thank you, Shiro!" She gave him a quick bow.

Shiro was taken aback that she knew his name. All the while he thought that she was merely being polite when she nodded or smiled at him. She noticed him after all. The thought made his heart skip a beat. He suddenly felt warm all over. A smile tugged the corners of his lips.

"Let me get my load and I'll give you a piggyback ride to the Doc," he said. He couldn't hide the delight in his voice at the opportunity to help her.

The events of that afternoon were the beginnings of their friendship that soon after blossomed into love. A year and a half later, Shiro asked Mizuki Taisho for his daughter's hand in marriage. The Mizuki family approved of the match and he and Chiyo became engaged.

A month before their wedding, the political tension brewing in the capital erupted into turmoil. It was the end of the Tokugawa Era and the dawn of the Meiji Restoration. The thrust of the new era was modernization and westernization to keep up with the other world powers. The old traditions were set aside since they were deemed antiquated and backward. The carrying of swords was banned. The samurai who once held a privileged status in society no longer enjoyed it. Those who held steadfast to the old code and refused to relinquish their swords were viewed as threats to the new government. To bring these samurais under control, a new police force was sent forth

When the new police force was sent to their village, the peace was shattered. The village became gripped by fear and injustice. The samurais who once maintained peace resorted to violence. They were furious. They could not believe that the emperor, the imperial court whom they have faithfully served and fiercely protected had forsaken them. They felt betrayed. Once rid of the police and the village fortified, they quickly corresponded with other disgruntled clans and planned to take action. Soon, a plot of an open rebellion was set and the samurais were called to arms.

"Please... please don't go."

Chiyo's voice was hoarse with emotion. She was kneeling on the tatami by the entrance hall pleading with Shiro. She had begged her father not to go but his sense of honor and duty prevailed. Now, she was making a final and desperate appeal to make her fiancé stay.

Shiro knelt down and took her hands in his. "I need to go. Please understand." He searched for signs of understanding in her face but only found stubbornness. Her eyes glazed from unshed tears flickered with a myriad of emotions – pain, fear, anger, love, sadness and despair. Her cheeks were flushed. Her lips were drawn in a tight line and her jaws set.

Despite her expression, he knew she understood very well his duty as a samurai but she would not, could not accept it. He always loved her passionate nature, her strong conviction for things she believed in, but now it made leaving difficult. Couldn't she see that it also pained him to leave? Couldn't she trust him to come back to her? Why did she have so little faith in him?

"No!" She said fiercely. Her body trembled. Her hands tightly clasped his. "If you won't stay, I'll come with you."

Shiro shook his head in refusal. "You must stay here," he said gently but with finality.

"My place is by your side," she reasoned.

"Please, Chiyo-chan," he pleaded with her. "Please try to understand that I have my duty and you have yours." He tenderly placed a hand on her cheek.

She looked away from him, withdrawing from his touch. She was stung by the truth of his words. She could not argue with that.

"Look at me," he gently commanded but she did not move. "Look at me." He placed a knuckle under her chin and urged her to look at him.

When she did, what he saw tore at his heart. She no longer held back her tears. Her eyes were brimming with them. A tear slowly rolled down and stained her cheek and more followed. Her chin quivered. Her gaze was intense. He roughly took her into his arms. She began to tremble and eventually her body was racked with sobs. He held her until her sobs subsided and whispered soothing words into her ear. He never wanted to see her like this. He never wanted to make her cry again and that he silently vowed.

Shiro drew away from her, his hands moving up and down her arms in an effort to bring comfort. He gazed into her eyes, her thick lashes wet with tears. He laid his hand on his gift, the necklace that she wore. He cleared the lump of emotion in his throat before he began to speak.

"I will be back," he swore, his voice hoarse. "And I will be yours and you will be mine forever. This..."—he paused and gently brushed his thumb on the blue pendant—"will be the seal of my pledge to you." The jewel seemed to gleam in response to his promise.

She looked at him intensely, pinning all her hopes on what he had said.

He looked back at her with equal intensity. His gaze traveled all over her face, from her soft brown eyes to her luscious pink lips, as if memorizing her beautiful face. He leaned down, planted a chaste kiss on her brow and a passionate one on her lips. He roughly ended it because it was shattering his resolve, hastily stood up, walked out of the house and never looked back.

Shiro returned to his village ten months after the samurai rebellion was crushed by the government. It took him that long to recover from his injuries. His memories of that year were a blur. He remembered falling in the battlefield on the samurais' last and valiant attempt to win the battle. He was mortally wounded. He felt his life ebbing away as blood flowed from his wounds. His final memory before he succumbed to the darkness was Chiyo beckoning him to come back home, to come back to her.

He had awakened in dark room, lying on a bamboo cot. His head was spinning. His whole body ached. He tried to sit up but hot searing pain from his wounds made him lie back down. He groaned.

A shaft of light suddenly illuminated the darkness. He squinted at its source to see who had entered the room. Instinctively, his hand tried to reach for the hilt of his sword but he found none. In panic, he tried to reach for anything to fend off the intruder. His shout came out as a moan.

"Ssshhh." A rough hand gently touched his forehead. He struggled to move away.

"Ssshhh. Don't be afraid." It was an old woman's voice. Her gnarled hands grasped his arms to hold him still. "I'm here to help you." He stopped his feeble struggling partly because of the woman's assurance and partly because the effort robbed him of his strength. She let go of him.

"Where am I?" he croaked. "What am I doing here? Who are you? Where's Chiyo?"

She chortled. "One at a time, son. I'll answer all your questions later. You must eat first."

Arashino Yumi was the name of the old woman who had nursed him back to health. She was a widowed medicine woman living with her son and his family. She told him that while she was out in search for medicinal plants to replenish her stock, she had found him sprawled under a big tree, bloody and half-dead. It had been two days since the battle. She heard from a few wounded soldiers she had treated that it was a slaughter and none of the samurais had survived so she was astonished to see him still alive. His strong will to survive had impressed her but it was quickly seeping away. Death's shadow was upon the youth's face, making her hasten to get her son to bring him back to their house.

Now, he was back in his village, miraculously healed from his fatal wounds. Hope blossomed in his heart. He was home at last as he had promised and was looking forward to seeing his beautiful Chiyo and starting forever with her. What greeted him made his blood run cold.

Where Chiyo and her family's simple but beautiful house once stood was an empty lot save for piles of burned wood and stone. Weeds and vines had started to reclaim the area.

He stood there stunned. He could not believe what he was seeing. _There must be some mistake. I must have made a wrong turn. This isn't it._

He look around him searching for signs that he made a mistake, took a wrong turn and was facing the wrong lot. To his despair, the ancient cherry tree that grew near Chiyo's house was there. He vaguely saw the names – his and Chiyo's – etched on its trunk.

_No, it can't be_. He shook his head, not willing to accept what he was seeing. _No..._

A woman of around forty was passing by carrying a basket full of vegetables in both hands.

"Is this the Mizukis'?" Shiro asked though he did not look at the woman.

"I beg your pardon?" She stopped, unsure whether she was the one being addressed.

"Is this the Mizukis'?" This time he said it a little a louder.

"Was, sir," she replied and shook her head at the tragedy that had befallen the family.

"Was? It can't be," he denied aloud as if trying to convince himself. "What happened?" he demanded.

"Well, I heard that a few weeks after the grand samurai Mizuki left for the rebellion, the house was ransacked and burned to the ground." She sadly glanced at the ruins and continued, "And the whole household, mostly women and children, was murdered by an unknown group of mercenaries. Rumor has it that the government was behind it. A clean-up job to avoid any other rebellions." She clucked her tongue. "It wasn't right. No, sir, it wasn't. It was tragic especially for the beautiful Chiyo-chan and her fiancé. Tragic indeed. And you know..."

His brow furrowed. His jaw was clenched and a muscle on his throat began to twitch. His hands at his sided slowly balled into fists as he tried to control the pain and anger seething inside him and the urge to shake the woman to take her words back. _It's all a lie. It can't be._He stood there silently staring at the ruins.

The woman continued to speak but he did not hear her words. It was drowned out by the turmoil inside of him. He did not even notice the woman leave. He just continued to stare at the ruins as if it could make Chiyo and everything else come back.

Memories of Chiyo haunted his vision. He saw her standing where the kitchen should have been, preparing dinner. She had nipped her finger and he had kissed it to make it better. He saw her kneeling by the dining table patiently helping him practice his writing. He saw himself giving her a bouquet of wild flowers by the entrance hall. She had been so delighted that she boldly planted a kiss on his cheek. So many memories came flooding back. _Chiyo... my beloved Chiyo..._

An unearthly moan of great sadness, regret and hopelessness escaped his lips. His vision blurred as hot tears suddenly welled up in his eyes. He fell to his knees as the first tear rolled down his cheek. He bowed his head and allowed himself to weep, his tears staining the ground. _Chiyo..._ As if in sympathy to his anguish, it began to rain.

_I'm bound to fulfill my promise, bound to the necklace. I swear, Chiyo, I will fulfill my vow and we shall be together for eternity._

* * *

__

"Shiro-kun?"

Shiro blinked, returning from the dark memories of his past. He felt a warm hand on his shoulder. Slowly, he turned his head to his right. Chiyo's, no, Akane's beautiful face came into focus. The beautiful blue pendant of the necklace he had given her sparkled in the afternoon sun.

"Shiro-kun, are you okay?"

His face broke into a smile. The concern he heard in her voice and saw on her face made him euphoric. "Akane! You came!" Despite his certainty of her arrival, he was still overwhelmed to see her there.

"Yeah, I did." Shiro's smile was so infectious that Akane couldn't help but smile back at him. "Anyway, are you sure you're okay? It took me more than a minute to get you back to earth."

"Yeah! I'm fine." he exclaimed. "Everything's just perfect." _Perfect_, he thought excitedly. _Soon we'll be together, my Chiyo._ _Soon we will have our eternity._

Akane looked at him skeptically for a minute then shrugged. "Well, if you say so." She looked around and saw the same picnic basket he brought yesterday. "So what did you prepare for us today?" She turned to him with a grin.

"Well, we'll just have to see." He grinned back at her, gently took hold of her elbow and led her towards the picnic basket and blanket. He couldn't help but keep glancing at her beautiful profile and the necklace that helped him find her again.

* * *

Ranma was content. He was seated at the counter of Ucchan's Okonomiyaki, rubbing his distended belly and sighing with satisfaction. A pile of empty plates was stacked in front of him. Ukyo was happily cooking another shrimp okonomiyaki for him... for free. _What a life!_ he happily thought to himself. His little spat with Akane was almost forgotten.

"Ucchan, you're the best!"

"Oh, Ran-chan!" Ukyo splayed her hands on her reddening cheeks. "Do you really mean that?" She quickly tossed a steaming shrimp okonomiyaki into a plate, slid it in front of Ranma like a bribe and looked at him expectantly for his reply.

"Of course!" Ranma grinned. "You make the best okonomiyaki in town, no, make that the best in the whole of Japan."

As if Ranma's word were a profession love, Ukyo reddened even more. "Oh, stop it, Ran-chan!" Ukyo suddenly took out her gigantic spatula and swung it at Ranma.

BANG! It hit its spot.

"Whadd'ya do dat por?" Ranma's eyes slowly rolled up his head. "Dat hart..." croaked Ranma as he fell off his stool.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Ukyo quickly jumped over the counter, grabbed him by the collar and hauled him onto the counter.

Embarrassed, Ukyo turned her back on him, mumbling apologies. She abruptly stopped as she heard a sizzling sound. Then, a stench of burning fabric wafted up her nose. Swiftly, she turned around and caught sight of Ranma as he sprang off the counter screaming, "HOT! HOT! HOT!" Half the back of his favorite red shirt was burned to a crisp. Ukyo hastily jumped over the counter, took a pitcher of ice cold water and threw its contents at Ranma.

The door slid open. Yuka and Sayuri entered Ucchan's.

"Hi Ukyo! We'll have—"

Yuka and Sayuri stopped and stared at a sputtering and drenched girl-type Ranma. Her red hair plastered to her head. Her red shirt slightly burned but wet clung to her curves.

"Hey Ranma! What happened to you?" Yuka eyed him curiously.

"Nothing!" Ranma muttered and glared at Ukyo.

"I'm sorry!" Ukyo smiled sheepishly and tossed him a small towel. "I'll make it up to you with another okonomiyaki with the works." She immediately took on the task and busied herself mixing an okonomiyaki batter. "What will you two be having?"

"Nothing eh," Yuka whispered and gave Sayuri a meaningful look.

Sayuri shook her head disapprovingly then turned to Ukyo and said, "We'll have the two seafood specials, Ukyo."

"Two seafood specials. Got it!" said Ukyo as she poured the batter for Ranma's okonomiyaki onto the griddle.

Ranma dried her drenched hair and torso with the towel and quickly threw it back to Ukyo. She took her seat, pushed the plate with the shrimp okonomiyaki toward Ukyo and grumpily said, "I'll have this to go. Thanks!"

He then realized that Akane wasn't with her friends as she had said. "Hey, isn't Akane with you guys?"

"We should be asking you that question." Sayuri said as she and Yuka took seats at the bar. They looked at Ranma accusingly.

Ranma stared back in surprise. "What? She told me that she was going to YOUR house." She pointedly looked at Sayuri when she said _your house_.

"Well, she told us that Kasumi asked her to clean the dojo this afternoon. Since you're her fiancée, shouldn't you be at home helping her with the task?" Sayuri pointed out matter-of-factly. Yuka was nodding in agreement beside her.

Ranma looked at them bewildered. "Kasumi said nothing to me about cleaning the dojo today."

"Oh, you must have just forgotten, Ranma," Ukyo nonchalantly said as she placed Ranma's steaming special okonomiyaki in a takeout box. Two more were sizzling on the hot cooking surface.

"Yeah," Yuka agreed. Her issue with Ranma was momentarily forgotten as she hungrily eyed the delicious sizzling okonomiyakis.

"No." said Ranma silently, shaking her head. Her brow furrowed.

Ukyo dangled the two takeout boxes of okonomiyaki in front of Ranma and happily said, "Here you go, Ran—"

With her arm still outstretched with the takeout boxes, she stood stunned as she saw Ranma run out the door of Ucchan's Okonomiyaki.

* * *

_I can't believe it!_****Ranma thought furiously as she ran home. _And to think I was feeling a bit guilty about our little spat. Akane lied to me! She lied to me! Again! WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON?!?_

When she arrived home, she went straight to the training hall. An empty dojo. She gave a huff of annoyance. She briskly made her way to the kitchen.

The clink of the knife on the cutting board, the low whistle of a kettle of boiling water and the simmer of broth in a pan were the sounds that greeted Ranma as she entered the kitchen. Kasumi was busy preparing tonight's dinner. The smell and sight of food being prepared assaulted Ranma's senses but tonight it did little to abate his anger.

"Kasumi, have you seen Akane?" asked Ranma in a clipped tone. She hastily took a kettle of boiling water on the stove and poured the water on herself. It was scalding. She gritted her teeth to stop herself from screaming. Her stupid error only fueled her anger.

She turned into a he.

"No, Ranma," Kasumi replied without looking up from her chore. She did not notice the scowl that darkened his handsome face.

"Did you ask her to clean the dojo today?"

"No, there's no need. I just cleaned it yesterday." Kasumi took the chopped vegetables and tossed them into the boiling broth on the stove. "Why do you ask?" She glanced at him.

"Nothing." He turned to leave. He was now more furious after confirming Akane's lie. He was mad.

"Oh my!" Kasumi gasped as she saw his half-burnt shirt. "Are you all right?"

Her question fell on deaf ears. He had stomped off out of the kitchen door.

Ranma went upstairs, taking two steps at a time. He threw his bag carelessly into the room that he and his Pop shared when he passed it by and immediately made his way to Akane's room.

"Akane!" Ranma slammed an open palm on her door. "Open this door, Akane! I want to talk to you!"

"What is all that racket?"

Nabiki poked her head out of her room. She looked disgruntled.

"Have you seen Akane?" growled Ranma.

Nabiki raised an eyebrow and smirked. "My, my, a bit grouchy this afternoon, aren't we, Ranma?"

He took a deep breath and tried his best to repeat his question calmly.

"I last saw her at school with you."

He gave her a curt nod and turned to leave.

"I have a feeling that my theory's not at all outrageous." Her words made him stop in mid step. His whole body quivered with tension. Encouraged that she had hit a nerve, she went on and said, "I bet she's with the guy right now."

His body become more rigid and began emitting a strange blue light, his battle aura.

She smiled amusedly at his reaction. It was funny how Ranma was taking her too seriously. He was so gullible, she thought, rolling her eyes. To stop herself from saying anything else, she quietly closed her door.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** Most of the characters used in the story are creations of the great Rumiko Takahashi.

**Author's Note:** Hi! I hope you'll enjoy this chapter. It's kind of waffy. Hope you don't mind. Anyway, thanks for the patience. It took me quite some time to finish this because I was busy with academics. Hopefully, this will be worth your while.

Anyway, thanks for your reviews. I really appreciate your reviews because they are truly inspiring and helpful in making my writing and the story better. Keep them coming!

Wildmagelette: Thank you so much for writing. I really appreciate your enthusiasm to seeing this story to the end. As promised, here's the 6th Chapter. I hope you'll like it. Enjoy!

Again,

"…" for speech

_italics_ for thoughts and flashbacks

**THE NECKLACE**

by Raven Nyx

**Chapter 6**

Akane looked at Shiro's profile as he talked animatedly about his training misadventures. He was quite a handsome guy – his hair a rich dark brown, his eyes the color of steel, his body fit from training. Despite his openness about his life, he remained an enigma. He looked young and carefree yet Akane sensed something else. There were moments when his eyes betrayed his youth and revealed a maturity that she often saw in the eyes of those who have seen too many summers. It was as if he had already lived a number of lifetimes. An old soul peered through his eyes.

That maturity was one of the things that drew her to him. He was mature and youthful at the same time. He was even-tempered, a total opposite from her. He put her at ease. She felt safe and secure and happy with him. _Am I falling in love with this guy?_

A voice inside her head squeaked a weak denial. _No…_

He was the perfect guy. _But…_

_No. You can't be in love with him because you're in love with…_

"Akane?"

"Huh?" Akane snapped out from her reverie. She was staring straight at Shiro's warm smiling eyes.

"Akane-chan, I know I'm quite handsome but you need not stare at me that way," Shiro teased. His smile widened into a grin.

"Uh, the nerve!" Akane feigned a disgusted expression. "You give yourself too much credit, Shiro-kun!" she exclaimed. "There's actually some icing on your cheeks," she said pointing at a make-believe smear. "Tsk tsk… Such a messy eater!"

Shiro reached for the empty plastic container of the chocolate cake slices they had and dipped his index finger scraping some left-over icing. He made an attempt to dab some on Akane's nose.

Akane squealed and grabbed both his wrists to prevent him from getting any icing on her. She giggled and struggled against him but he proved to be a worthy opponent. One minute they were seated side by side and in the next she was on her back and he was leaning down on her. Their eyes met. Her giggles subsided. Suddenly everything around them went into slow motion. Silence dropped like a blanket over them. The only sounds that Akane could hear were their heavy breathing and the wild beating of her heart.

He gazed into her eyes, his mischievous intent forgotten. His eyes were like pools of liquid silver, flickering with a myriad of emotions that she couldn't identify.

Her pendant suddenly began to glow and grew warm on her skin. The faint blue light illuminated Shiro's features making him look ethereal. He smiled.

An unexpected wave of longing suddenly filled her.

"Shiro-kun…"

Akane was surprised to hear her own voice, to hear the familiarity, the yearning, the ache as she said his name.

"You've come back to me at last."

She reached out to touch his face, gently placing her hand on his cheek.

"Yes," he whispered. He covered her hand with his, turned his head, and lightly kissed her palm. "As I promised." He slowly leaned down to kiss her.

Akane closed her eyes in anticipation, his breath warming her face.

He drew nearer and nearer…

* * *

Ranma grew more agitated as he searched Nerima for Akane without any success.

He went to the playground where Akane usually hanged out when she was in a melancholy mood. The lot was empty save for a toddler with his big sister at the swings.

He returned to Ucchan's to check whether Akane had hooked up with her friends, Yuka and Sayuri. Yuka and Sayuri were heartily eating their orders but Akane wasn't with them.

He went to Nerima's shopping district, searching every stall and store. She wasn't in any of them.

He passed by Furinkan High. She wasn't there, either.

He visited Kuno's manor, expecting that Tatewaki Kuno or his twisted sister, Kodachi, might have had Akane kidnapped. No Akane.

"Where could she be?" he muttered in frustration. He was getting worried. _What if something happened to her?_ He shook his head and quickly banished that thought.

He had two other places left to check out: the Cat Café and the park. He decided to visit the Cat Café first.

"Son-in-law, what a pleasant surprise!" Shampoo's great-grandmother, Cologne, greeted him as he entered the restaurant. She was behind the counter, preparing two orders of ramen for delivery. "Granddaughter! Future son-in-law is here," she called out.

"Aya!" someone exclaimed in the kitchen, followed by quick footsteps.

Shampoo came running out of the kitchen "Nihao!" She immediately caught Ranma in a tight embrace. "Ranma, come to date Shampoo?" She looked up at him eagerly awaiting his reply. She was oblivious to the curious stares and meaningful grins the Cat Café's customers were giving them.

Ranma wasn't oblivious. He broke out in cold sweat. He tried to pry Shampoo away from him as he managed to say, "I'm looking for Akane."

"Akane not here." Shampoo shook her head vehemently as she struggled to hold on to Ranma. "But Shampoo here."

"Ranma! Unhand her!"

Ranma with Shampoo in tow turned to face the café's entrance. Mousse stood by the doorway tightly clutching a metal delivery box. His expression was unreadable behind his thick glasses but a red battle aura emanated from his body.

"Mind own business, Mousse!" Shampoo haughtily intoned.

"Ranma, let go of my dear Shampoo," Mousse ordered, his voice full of menace.

_Uh-oh_, Ranma thought. "I'm trying," he groaned as he doubled his efforts to get away from Shampoo's embrace.

"You're not trying hard enough!"

Mousse attacked. Before the delivery box even hit the floor, he released an onslaught of weapons hidden in his long sleeves.

Then all hell broke loose. Customers began ducking under tables and dodging chains tipped with spikes that were flying in all directions. Some customers scrambled out of the Café in terror. Tables where split in two. Platters of food crashed on the floor.

Ranma took advantage of the chaos to slip out of Shampoo's embrace. Shampoo became too preoccupied angrily screaming at Mousse to stop that Ranma managed to slip out of the café unnoticed.

A bucket of cold water put an end to the pandemonium.

Frightened customers cautiously crawled out under tables and other hiding places to make a hasty exit from the Cat Café.

Shampoo, her arms akimbo, glared at the dripping wet and defeated duck with its glasses askew at her feet.

Cologne stood on the counter with her gnarled staff in hand. "Mousse," she said as she shook her head in disbelief at the mess Mousse had made, "this is coming out of your paycheck."

"Quack!" Mousse looked up at Shampoo, pleading for forgiveness.

"Hmph!" Shampoo turned her back on him and strode towards the kitchen.

He bowed his head and quietly uttered a regretful quack.

"Mousse clean mess," Shampoo said in a clipped tone before the door of the kitchen swung shut.

* * *

Ranma did not stop running until he reached the park.

He placed his hands on his knees, panting. Sweat dripped from his brow. He looked behind him to check whether Mousse or Shampoo followed him. _Phew!_

When he had caught his breath, he looked around him in search of Akane. The sun was about to set, bathing the park in a warm orange glow. There were still people around – young and old. Two teenage girls and a boy were seated on a park bench eating ice cream and talking animatedly with each other. A mother and her little girl were standing at the edge of the lake feeding the ducks with pieces of day-old bread. Two little boys were playing catch. Under the cherry tree, a boy about his age was playfully trying to smear something on a very familiar girl. On a boat, a father with his teenage son was—

Ranma quickly returned his gaze on the couple near the cherry tree. An uneasy feeling was gnawing at his insides. A ball rolled at his feet and he reflexively picked it up. He barely heard the little boy asking for his ball back. He squinted hard at the short-haired girl as the boy leaned for a kiss.

_Akane!_

Fury consumed him and in his rage, he threw the ball hard at the boy who was trying to kiss HIS fiancée. He didn't wait to see whether he hit the boy or not. He hastily turned on his heels and stalked out of the park. He couldn't trust himself with Akane and the boy with the rage still burning inside him.

He was shaking with anger.

_Jealousy_, his inner voice corrected.

* * *

Shiro's lips were almost touching Akane's when suddenly a ball shattered the moment and hit his temple hard.

"OW!"

"Hey!" A young boy's voice broke through the haze that fogged Akane's mind. The hubbub of the world suddenly came rushing in to fill the silence. The stomp of the kid's feet, the flap of ducks' wings at the lake and a distant jingle of bicycle bell brought her back to reality.

Akane's eyes flew open and she immediately sat up, butting Shiro's forehead.

"Ow!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Akane exclaimed apologetically, rubbing her fingers on the sore spot on her own forehead. She felt disoriented. She wasn't sure where she was and what time it was. She could only remember one minute she was playfully struggling with Shiro and the next he had cried out in pain.

The boy ran forward and hastily gave his explanation in one breath. "It wasn't my fault, mister. My friend, Kiro, and I were just playing catch when our ball rolled at a boy's feet. He was wearing a white shirt. He threw the ball at you, sir. Honest!" The little boy fearfully stared up at Shiro. His eyes were glazed with unshed tears.

"It's ok, kid. I believe you."

Despite the throbbing ache he felt on his temple and forehead, Shiro gave the boy a reassuring smile and quickly threw the ball back to the kid.

The boy deftly caught the ball. "Thank you, mister!" He gave a quick bow before he left.

"Oh man!" His index finger was still sticky with icing. Leaning over Akane, he reached for the pack of table napkins in the picnic basket.

Akane became overwhelmed by his sudden nearness so she quickly distanced herself from Shiro. Her face burned from embarrassment which she tried to hide by turning her back on him and pretending to rummage through the empty picnic basket beside her.

"What are you looking for?" Shiro asked with a smile. Her sudden preoccupation with the obviously empty basket amused him.

"Table napkins," she answered, her voice trembled slightly as she tried to act nonchalantly, as if nothing happened.

"It's with me, Akane."

"Oh." She stopped her futile rummaging. Her face burned crimson. _You're acting foolishly, Akane_, she silently scolded herself._ Get a grip!_

"Akane, are you all right?" Shiro put a hand on her shoulder.

The warmth of his hand made her shiver.

"I—I'm fine," she managed to utter with mock cheerfulness. As an after thought, she added, "I better go." She refused to look at him lest he see her face flushed.

"Did I do anything wrong, Akane?" Shiro took hold of her hand.

"No!" Akane hastily exclaimed, pulling her hand away from his. "No," she said more calmly. "Umm… it's just that… Kasumi's… umm… expecting me to be home… before dark," she stammered. She stood up and hastily scooped up her bag.

"Wait!" Shiro took hold of her hand again, undeterred by her withdrawal just awhile ago. "I want to give you something before you leave."

He tugged her to face him. In his hand, he held a beautiful red carnation. "This is for you." He handed it to her.

Her embarrassment drained away and was replaced by sheer delight at his thoughtfulness. "Thank you." The carnation was exquisite. "It's beautiful."

Shiro smiled and gave her hand a squeeze. "You're welcome."

"You know, this was my mother's favorite… when she was still alive," she said quietly as she clasped the blossom near her heart. A faint blush colored her cheeks.

She looked deeply into his silver gray eyes and said, "Thank you, Shiro." Then, she squeezed his hand back. "Well, I have to go now. Bye!"

"I'll see you soon, Akane." He gave Akane's hand a final squeeze before he let go. _I'll see you soon, my Chiyo... sooner than you think_.He smiled as he watched Akane leave the park. He couldn't contain the excitement that he was feeling.

_Shiro-kun… you've come back to me at last…_

The memory of her words sent a shiver of excitement down his spine. She was already starting to remember. Their connection was getting stronger, harder to resist. _The time draws near, Chiyo. You need not fight it any longer._

The memory of their interrupted moment though turned his smile into a dark scowl. _Damn!_, he cursed the boy in white. _She should have been mine now, NOW, had the boy not interfered. But no matter,_ he calmly reminded himself,_ Chiyo's return to me is inevitable. No one can stand in the way of our love … no one._

His smile returned.

* * *

Akane did not go straight home. She had a lot of things on her mind about yesterday's and today's events. She had to sort it out. The perfect place to do that was at the playground.

The sun had just set. The empty playground was in shadow save for lamps that had just flickered to life.

Akane slumped on one of the empty swings and placed her bag on the swing at her right. She held the carnation to her nose, inhaled its fragrance and sighed.

She absent-mindedly began to swing herself back and forth as she went through her thoughts. Memories of her past two days with Shiro went through her mind.

_The note and carnation at my room._ She had found a red carnation like what she was holding now at her desk with a folded note tucked underneath. The note had read:

Akane,

Meet me at the park under the cherry blossom tree near the lake at 5:00 pm. I'll be waiting.

S.S.

She remembered how she figured it was a challenge letter. She smiled. The note was far from being a challenge letter.

_My first meeting with Shiro._ Curiosity had driven her to meet the unknown challenger. When she arrived at the park at 5:00 pm, her body was ready for a fight but she was disarmed by soft smiling silver gray eyes, a warm smile showing off pearly white teeth and a handsomely chiseled face crowned with short dark brown hair. Shiro. She remembered his warm hand on her cheek as he wiped off the drop of soda on her chin.

_The picnic with him today._ The memory of the kiss they almost shared made her blush.

In just a span of two days, Shiro had turned her world upside down. _I ought to be used to that feeling already_, she thought amusedly. _After I met Ranma and his father, nothing seemed normal anymore._

_Ranma._

Memories of their recent spat filled her with melancholy.

_Don't get me wrong! It's not like a date or nothing like that_, Ranma had said.

_Like I'd go out with you!_, she had retorted.

_Uncute tomboy!_

_Fine, fine_, she had bit out. _Go ask your cute fiancées to the movie then!_

_Maybe, I will!_ _See if I'd bother asking you again._

_I don't care_, she had bit out. _I'm not wasting my time glaring at you, Ranma. I'm going to Sayuri's for an enjoyable Friday afternoon._

_Fine!_, he had snapped.

She frowned. _Why does he have to be so insensitive sometimes… often? Why couldn't he be more like Shiro – sensitive, thoughtful, sweet…?_

She thoughtfully twirled the stem of the carnation in her fingers. _Shiro was perfect yet…_ Her hesitation baffled and frustrated her. She did not have any reason to hesitate. _Except…_She had a valid reason but she could not put her finger on it. Her reason seemed to be lost in a haze.

She sighed. She didn't know what to feel or think anymore. She looked up at the night sky. The moon had already begun its ascent. Its glow was partially hidden by looming rain clouds. She looked at the few visible stars that had twinkled through the cloudy sky wishing for an answer. The only answer she got was a cool breeze that bode of rain.

She sighed again. Her visit to the park did not do any good. She just felt more confused, lost.

_I better get going or father will worry, _she thought wearily. She stood up, took her bag from the swing beside her and walked out of the playground.

* * *

Ranma had come home fuming. He had gone straight to the dojo to let off some steam. However, after his rigorous workout, he wasn't feeling any calmer. The memory of the dark-haired boy leaning down to kiss Akane burned in his mind. He still couldn't believe what he saw.

He was lying with his hands behind his head on the Tendou residence's rooftop looking up at the cloudy night sky. The roof was still warm from the afternoon sun. The warmth would normally bring him comfort but not tonight.

_It must be all a lie_, Ranma tried to convince himself. _A lie._ _Maybe it wasn't Akane. Maybe he saw some girl that looked like her._

_Who are you kidding?_ A voice inside his head said.

A new wave of anger went through his body. He closed his eyes trying to block out the hateful scene but he couldn't. The scene played on and on in his mind, taunting him.

"Ranma," Kasumi called out to him. "Dinner's ready."

He ignored her call. Surprisingly, he did not feel hungry.

He resolved to confront Akane and ask her what was going on, to ask her why.

* * *

Akane arrived at the Tendou Dojo. _Just in time for dinner_, she thought. Despite the unresolved issue she had been thinking about at the playground, Akane couldn't contain the giddiness she felt from her afternoon with Shiro. She had to admit that it was her first "normal" date. She blushed. _A date_, she thought amusedly. She twirled the carnation around her fingers. _I better keep this hidden_, she decided and carefully placed the carnation inside her bag. When she was about to click her school bag shut, a voice made her stop cold.

"How was your little date, Akane?" The icy voice sent shivers down her spine.

_I know that voice_. She looked around to see who spoke to her. No one was there. A sudden movement on the wall caught her attention. She stared up in surprise.

_Ranma._


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** Most of the characters used in the story are creations of the great Rumiko Takahashi.

**Author's Note:** Hi! I'm sorry that this chapter took so long. I've been really busy. I hope this chapter is worth the wait. It's a bit… hmm… violent. I hope you, guys, don't mind. I guess I was feeling a bit murderous after enduring months of intense studying. But now, I'm free. Hahahaha!

Anyway, I would like to take this opportunity to thank:

Meca-Chan

Kaoru-chan6

Fiery Ferret of Doom

rc

Lunar Ember

Lorilynn1

merryday

The Sisters of Chaos: W/D

Pilgrim

Storm-Maker

Sieg1308

Kisaki-chan

morgannia

Eu

Key

erin boriiss

Irulan24

Koala Kitty

Surf Angel

Gennie Kag's & Sess's Child

Wildmagelette

Hanoi

Priestess Kohana

f-zelda

Liezel

Drakus

seashell

Saotome Akane

Mensa-13

deni-015

Ocky Pocky

heartdragon

Thank you so much for your reviews. You, guys, drive me to write better. So keep those reviews coming. Thank you!

Again,

"…" for speech

_italics_ for thoughts

**THE NECKLACE**

by Raven Nyx

**Chapter 7**

Genma, Soun, Nabiki, Kasumi and Happosai were seated around the table having a scrumptious dinner of sukiyaki. Dinner was relatively peaceful as everyone eagerly fished out slices of beef, vegetables and noodles from the steaming pot at the center of the table.

"More rice please, Kasumi." Genma said as he passed his empty bowl to Kasumi.

"Where could Ranma and Akane be?" Kasumi wondered out loud as she started filling Genma's bowl.

Kasumi was cut short by raised voices outside the house followed by the slam of the gate.

Nabiki raised an eyebrow. "Oohhh, it sounds interesting out there." She quickly stood up with a video camera magically in hand. "This I got to see." She started walking towards the door.

"Nabiki!" Kasumi chastised, looking at Nabiki disapprovingly.

"Aren't you a bit curious, sis?"

"A bit but… we should mind our own business," Kasumi declared. "Right, father?" When she looked at the other end of the table where her father should have been seated, the seat was already empty. Soun was gone and so were Genma and Happosai. She stared at the empty seats, neglected bowls of rice and the steaming pot of sukiyaki in disbelief. "Oh my…"

* * *

Akane's wistful smile, the faint blush on her cheeks fueled Ranma's anger. The carnation she reverently placed in her bag was the last straw. _That boy gave that to her!_, he thought furiously. 

"How was your little date, Akane?" he said caustically. He looked down at Akane from his perch up the wall near a street lamp.

Akane looked around searching for the person speaking to her. No one seemed to be there. Her brow furrowed in bewilderment.

Ranma casually leaned on the lamp post.

His movement caught Akane's attention. She immediately looked up and saw him. A gasp escaped her lips as she took a step back. A series of emotions flickered in her dark brown eyes. Surprise. Fear. Guilt. Anger._ Anger!_, he thought with annoyance.

Anger prevailed over Akane's other emotions. She glared up at him. "It's none of your business," she icily uttered. After that, she shoved the gate open, entered the dojo and slammed it shut.

Her reply infuriated Ranma. _She has the nerve to be mad at me!_, he thought incredulously. He nimbly jumped off the wall and was immediately on her heels. "None of my business?"

She did not stop walking.

"None of MY business?" His voice was up a notch. He grabbed her arm to pull her to a stop and turned her to face him.

She tried to pull away but he held her arm tighter.

"You're MY fiancée, Akane. Therefore, it's MY business."

She glared up at him. "Some FIANCÉ you are!" she spat.

Her reply took him aback. Her words hurt more than he would admit to himself. His grip on her arm loosened. She took the opportunity to get out of his grasp and run inside the house.

He stood stunned by her words for half a minute. His mind went blank unable to comprehend the insult she had just thrown at him.

* * *

"Look at the two lovebirds bickering. They're practically married already," Nabiki stated matter-of-factly as she, Soun, Genma and Happosai leaned against the ajar door, listening and watching Akane and Ranma's quarrel. Nabiki was taping their row with her video camera. 

"Here she comes," Genma hissed the warning when Akane started running towards the door.

They immediately dispersed in the foyer, pretending to act nonchalantly.

Akane slid the door open and entered the house. She did not notice the suspiciously crowded foyer: Nabiki on the phone; Genma and Soun oddly playing their favorite game of shogi by the foyer; and Happosai smoking his pipe by the stairs. She quickly made her way up the stairs.

"What's that suppose to mean!" They heard Ranma demand when he had snapped out of his trance. He ran after Akane and caught up with her halfway up the stairs. He grabbed her arm again. Ranma was oblivious to the not-so-subtle stares of Nabiki, Genma, Soun and Happosai. "What's that suppose to mean, Akane?" he repeated.

Akane glared at him.

Ranma glared back.

"Go figure, Ranma!" She forcefully yanked her arm out of his hold and quickly ran up the rest of the stairs.

Ranma followed her. "NO!" He tried to reach for her again but she eluded him. "You tell me!"

"I hate you!" Akane reached the safety of her room and slammed the door in Ranma's face.

"Dammit!" He swore under his breath and placed an open palm on Akane's closed door. "Fine, Akane!" He banged the door with frustration. "If that's how you feel, then fine! See if I care!"

With a huff, he turned on his heels and walked away.

* * *

Akane sagged against the door, her breath coming in heavy and angry puffs. Her bag had fallen on the floor and some of her books and the red carnation had slipped out. She heard Ranma's footsteps as he walked away. She leaned her head on the door, closed her eyes and hoarsely whispered, "Stupid Ranma…" A single tear rolled down her cheek. 

She angrily wiped it away. _Stop it, Akane!_, she silently scolded herself. _Stop it!_

"Bwee!"

Akane was surprised to hear that familiar and comforting sound. He was back after an almost three-week absence. She looked down and saw her pet pig, P-chan, looking at her with concern. "Bwee?" P-chan snorted again as if to ask what was wrong.

She gave him a sad smile, her eyes brimming with tears. "It's nothing, baby," she whispered in a quivering voice, "I'm going to be ok."

The black piglet took the fallen red carnation in his mouth and snorted up at Akane as if to give her the blossom.

The sweetness of the gesture pulled at her aching heart. "Oh, P-chan!" She knelt down on the floor and opened her arms to the piglet.

P-chan with the carnation in his mouth leapt into her arms. She hugged him tightly and cried her heart out, whispering again and again, "Stupid… stupid… stupid Ranma…"

_

* * *

__Some FIANCÉ you are!_

He remembered her retort clearly. He could still hear her say the words. He could still see the injured look on her face. He suddenly felt his chest tighten. _What the hell was that suppose to mean!_, he thought angrily. He was the one being wronged here. She was the one with another guy and even letting that stupid guy kiss her. _Well, some fiancée she is! _

Ranma was seated on the rooftop glaring angrily at the cloudy night sky. It was a cool night but it did not do anything to cool his temper. He even tried training after their spat but it did not ease the tension.

"What ever you two fought about, you have to settle it," someone had said from the door of the training hall while he was doing some katas. "Talk to her, boy. Apologize."

He had turned to see his father standing by the door. Ranma's brow was drenched with sweat. He had already done several katas but he was distracted. He didn't even sense his father's presence until he spoke.

He had glared at his father and said, "I ain't saying sorry to that tomboy!"

"Tsk tsk," Genma had clucked his tongue in disapproval. "You're as stubborn as your old man."

He had merely ignored that comment. "I'm done here," he had said with finality and purposefully walked out of the dojo.

_Why should I apologize? She's the one dating someone else. _He felt a pang of jealousy as he remembered what he saw at the park. _Kissing someone else… _His hands balled into fists. _Should have bashed that guy's pretty face_, he thought darkly.

"Ranma."

The low threatening growl cut through his thoughts.

He knew that voice. Without turning to see who it was, Ranma warned in a low, barely audible voice, "Ryoga, you don't wanna mess with me right now."

"How dare you, Ranma!" Ryoga pointed a finger accusingly at Ranma. "How dare you make Akane-san cry!"

"I'm warning you, Ryoga," he snarled. "Not another word."

"I leave for a few weeks and look at her," Ryoga dared to continue. He remembered the distress in those beautiful brown pools as she assured him that she was going to be ok. He remembered the feel of her arms around him and the wetness of her tears as she cried, cried for Ranma. "You don't deserve her, Ranma."

"Now, you're asking for it!" Ranma growled. With lightning speed, he was in Ryoga's face throwing fast punches and kicks. He poured all his anger and frustration into his attacks. Like his old man, Ryoga had no right to butt in on their business. This was between him and Akane.

Ryoga was able to parry his attacks but he staggered a little by the strength of Ranma's blows. He saw the feral glint in Ranma's eyes as he attacked. Ryoga blocked with all his strength. He was determined to win this for Akane. _I would never do anything to hurt her, to make her cry. _Then he realized that Ranma was all offensive and his attacks were a product of emotion rather than strategy. His forceful attacks were also quickly exhausting him, leaving him more vulnerable to any unexpected move. When Ryoga found an opening, he struck.

"Owfff…" Ranma felt all the air rush out of his lungs and pain radiated from where he was hit. He fell on one knee, clutching his stomach with one hand. He suddenly felt weak… drained.

"Is that all you've got?" Ryoga looked down at Ranma with a sneer. He was breathing heavily, sweat pouring down his face. He wiped his brow with his sleeve.

Ranma breathed in deeply, trying to catch his breath. Droplets of sweat fell from his brow. _The dark-haired boy leaning down to kiss Akane. Akane's blush as she placed the carnation carefully in her bag._ These scenes flashed before his eyes, giving him renewed strength. His hand already red and bruised clutched at his stomach balled into a fist, his knuckles turning all white.

With a great roar, Ranma pounced on Ryoga. Ryoga caught off guard by the sudden comeback lost his balance. He teetered on the edge of the rooftop. But Ranma was relentless in his attack that Ryoga lost his footing, pulling Ranma as he fell from the roof.

* * *

Akane woke up with a start. Her eyes felt puffy and heavy. She was lying on her bed. She didn't realize that she had cried herself to sleep. She had no memory of turning off the lights, taking off her shoes and getting into bed. 

"P-chan?" she hoarsely called out. Rubbing away the sleep from her eyes, she scanned her dark room for P-chan. He was nowhere to be found.

"Hmm… what time is it?" she croaked out loud as she sat herself up, squinting at the clock.

The clock read 11:46 pm.

Her tummy gave an angry rumble. She groaned. She had not eaten dinner. _I better get something to eat and maybe take a long hot bath_, she thought. She swung her legs out of the bed and snapped on her desk lamp. Then, she snatched her towel and pajamas from her armoire and headed for the door. When she was about to close it, she noticed a piece of stationery tacked to the yellow duck hanging on her door. It read: Akane, dinner's by the stove. Kasumi.

_Kasumi's so sweet_, she thought as she stared affectionately at the closed door of her older sister's room. With a sigh, she silently walked through the darkened hall towards the staircase. A faint light was spilling from the Genma and Ranma's room. To avoid another confrontation with Ranma, she tiptoed past the guest room and quietly and quickly descended the stairs. _There's enough fighting for now_, she thought sadly.

* * *

Ranma heard Akane pass his room. He was still up. He couldn't sleep so he tried reading his old mangas. He used to find them amusing but he found nothing funny about them now. He just leafed through the pages and sometimes he caught himself drifting, thinking of her. He groaned. 

_Why should I even bother worrying?_, he thought. _I don't get her. Why am I the bad guy? I wasn't the one sneaking off with someone else, kissing someone else!_ He suddenly realized that he had torn off a page of the manga he was reading and had crumpled it into a ball. He tossed the manga and the crumpled page aside with disgust. He stood up and started to pace to let off some steam.

He stopped and stared irately at his father in panda form sleeping soundly while he was fuming, unable to get some sleep. The sight of him got him more riled up. He grabbed his pillow and threw it at his father. It had no effect on the sleeping panda. Genma merely turned to his side and hugged the offending pillow.

Ranma was gritting his teeth in frustration. _What's with you, Saotome!_, he scolded himself. _Get a grip!_ He couldn't explain it but he was spoiling for a fight. His scuffle with Ryoga did not give him the release he needed. The short drizzle had spoiled it, turning his worthy opponent into a raging pig, which he, in girl form, easily kicked to who knows where.

He started his pacing again. After a while, he heard Akane climb up the stairs. He came to an abrupt stop. Impulsively, he pulled the plug of the lamp lit near his futon, an attempt to hide the fact that he couldn't sleep. He no longer had time to jump into bed and was forced to stand still by the door, listening to her soft footsteps as she stepped onto the second floor hall. He heard her suddenly stop by the door. She stayed there for a full minute and the sudden flash of lightning threw her silhouette through the fusumi. Her hand was lightly resting on one of the paper panels. The clap of the thunder must have broken through her reverie. She gave a sigh and started to walk to her room.

Ranma was finally able to release the breath that he had not realized he was holding when he heard her door click shut. The rain had begun again and the gentle pitter-patter of rain on the roof had a calming effect. He felt an unfamiliar lump of emotion in his throat. He touched the spot on the fusumi where her hand had rested. Another flash of lighting bathed the room in an eerie light. He thought he could feel her warmth still on the spot but snorted at the silly notion. He walked away from the door and fell down on his bed. His anger had ebbed away and his head felt clearer. _Maybe I was just overreacting_, he thought. _Maybe I should go and talk to her and settle this… tonight._

* * *

Underneath the tree by the koi pond, a lone figure stood unmindful of the rain. Suddenly a flash of lightning illuminated the figure. It was Shiro. He was staring up at the lone lit window. Akane's room. 

_I've been waiting for this moment and now it's finally at hand_, he thought gleefully.

Akane suddenly came into view as she stared out the window at the rainy night. She did not see Shiro as he quickly moved to hide in the shadows.

Shiro had longed for that beautiful face for more than a century, dreamed of it as he wandered all over Japan all those years. He was neither living nor dead, only driven by the promise of seeing her again, of being with her again.

From the faithful day he found out Chiyo was dead, he prayed for his own death, for his own release from a life without Chiyo. He cursed the gods for making him live but taking her away from him. He hated his life so much that he started wandering aimlessly from tavern to tavern, trying to drown his misery with sake and jumping into brawls, hoping to find release. In the mornings, he would wake up hoping that he was already dead but he often found himself lying on piles of refuse, stinking of smoke, sake and garbage, totally wasted. He'd wash himself in nearby streams or rivers, then head for any open tavern along the way, again beginning the miserable cycle he called his life.

One day, he found himself at another dingy pub. He had downed his eighth bottle of sake and was loudly clamoring for more.

The owner behind the bar ignored him. "Are you deaf! I said, more." The owner's silence forced Shiro to wend his way towards the bar.

"More!" He tried to put the empty sake bottle on the table but with his uncontrolled strength, he smashed it on the table. "MORE!" he roared unmindful of his bleeding hand.

The skinny old pub owner cowered behind the bar but he mustered enough courage to ask Shiro to leave.

"No," Shiro managed to slur as he vehemently shook his head.

A menacing looking man, his face badly scared, walked towards Shiro and put a heavy calloused hand on his shoulder, turning Shiro to face him. His cohorts stood behind him. "The owner's asking you to leave, buddy. I suggest that you follow him."

"I'm… not leaving…" He glared at the guy and swatted the hand on his shoulder away. He turned his back on the man and continued to demand from the pub owner more sake.

The terrified owner was no longer paying attention to Shiro, his eyes trained on the scarred man. His face lost all its color when he saw the scarred man's face contort with seething anger. "I don't want no killing in my pub. You hear me, Fudo!" The owner squeaked.

The menacing man named Fudo followed by his cohorts came closer to Shiro and he tried to grab his arm. Despite his drunkenness, Shiro's instincts enabled him to elude the man's grasp. He teetered away from him. "I'm not leaving!"

"You're asking for it, buddy," Fudo growled. The man glared at him then nodded to his cohorts, silently commanding them to surround Shiro.

Without warning, they attacked all at once and all hell broke lose. He managed to parry most of the blows and get some across. However, in his drunken and weakened state, the blows that got across did a lot of damage. His face was already covered with blood from a nasty gash above his left eyebrow. The men kept on coming and he was quickly losing his stamina. He tried to reach for his sword but it wasn't at his side. He tried to scan the room of fallen tables and chairs and broken bottles but he couldn't seem to find it.

He suddenly spotted the sheath of his sword underneath a smashed table and tried to reach for it but before he could get there, he ran straight through a sword. He was stunned. He didn't feel any pain but he felt his warm blood slowly soak his hakama. The sword looked familiar. He looked up at his attacker. It was Fudo. Fudo gave him a victorious smirk and rammed the sword deeper into him. He looked down at the sword again. It was his. Shiro laughed at the irony which disconcerted Fudo, turning his smirk into a frown. Shiro was smiling at him before darkness took him.

* * *

Darkness. Then out of the darkness, a familiar cherry tree suddenly came into view. A woman wearing a white wedding kimono stood with her back to him. The soft tinkling of chimes seemed to drift from nowhere A sudden gust of wind sent a rain of cherry blossoms around the woman as she turned to face him. Most of her face was hidden behind a silken white hood. Only her smiling red lips could be seen. 

"Am I dead?" Shiro asked. He stood a few feet away from her, shrouded in darkness.

The woman shook her head almost imperceptibly.

"Who are you?"

The woman demurely raised her hand to her mouth. Her melodious laughter floated towards him. "Have you forgotten me already?"

"Chiyo? Chiyo, is it really you?" Shiro tried to reach for her but every time he got nearer, she seemed to slide back away from him, always maintaining the same distance, so near yet so far.

The woman laughed again. "Come and find me, Shiro-kun." As she turned to leave, the light reflected on the necklace she was wearing. It was the necklace he had given her, the last present he had given her before he left, before he lost her. She started to walk away, towards a pinpoint of white light that gradually grew bigger and brighter. "I'll be waiting for you."

"Wait, Chiyo! Wait!" Shiro tried to run after her but his sight was obscured by a torrent of cherry blossoms and the white light that seemed to engulf Chiyo and the cherry tree. "Where are you going? Wait!" He tripped as he was about to reach for her, slightly grazing the silken fabric of her kimono.

He looked up, his eyes wet with tears, just in time to see her disappear into the blinding light. Then once again, darkness.

* * *

He woke up. His body ached all over. He shivered. It was cold. He didn't know where he was. Wisps of the dream he had lingered in his mind and blurred his vision. Her sweet voice echoed in his ears. _Come and find me, Shiro-kun._ _I'll be waiting for you._

His eyes began to adjust to the darkness. He found himself lying face down on a rocky river bank. His clothes were wet and grimy from water, blood, dirt and sweat. He slowly turned himself over so that he was lying prone on the bank.

Then the memory of what happened in the tavern came flooding back to him. He fought a group of thugs at the tavern. He remembered looking for his sword to even out the fight. He was stabbed, stabbed with his own sword. This brought a jolt of adrenaline to his body and he quickly sat up and inspected his stomach. There was a tear on his kimono but there wasn't a trace of the mortal wound that Fudo had inflicted on him. He quickly touched his face, arms and legs to check for cuts, bumps and bruises. He didn't feel any. All he felt was a dull ache, a memory of the injuries he had sustained.

He looked up at the sky. Streaks of red and orange ran through it, a sign of the dawning of a new day. It was also a dawning for him, a dawning for his search of his beloved Chiyo.

_Come and find me, Shiro-kun…_

A flash of lightning broke through Shiro's reverie. He looked up at Akane's window. The lights were already out. It was time to get her back after over a century of searching. _I'm here, Chiyo. I've found you at last._


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** Most of the characters used in the story are creations of the great Rumiko Takahashi.

**Author's Note:**

I'm alive!

I'm really, really sorry that this chapter took… hmmm... let's see, around two years in the making. I've been really busy with work. Yes, you read it correctly. I'm working now and my job gets pretty hectic. Oops, I'm digressing. At last, I have come to the last chapter of my first Ranma fanfic. I hope you'll find this chapter worth the wait although I have to warn you that years of not writing fanfiction has made me a little rusty.

Anyway, I would again like to take this opportunity to thank the following:

Meca-Chan + Kaoru-chan6 + Fiery Ferret of Doom + rc + Lunar Ember + Lorilynn1 + merryday + The Sisters of Chaos: W/D + Pilgrim + Storm-Maker + Sieg1308 + Kisaki-chan + morgannia + Eu + Key + erin boriiss + Irulan24 + Koala Kitty + Surf Angel + Gennie Kag's & Sess's Child + Wildmagelette + Hanoi + Priestess Kohana + f-zelda + Liezel + Drakus + seashell + Saotome Akane + Mensa-13 + deni-015 + Ocky Pocky + Heartdragon + Kawaiikun-fan + kachiryu-chi + Terpsichore the Whirler + xmiahimex + DawnLove + cherryblossom + Kendo Baby + Indygodusk.

Thank you so much for your reviews. You, guys, inspire me to write better. Thank you!

Again,

"…" for speech;

_italics_ for thoughts; and

/…/ for sound.

**THE NECKLACE**

by Raven Nyx

**Chapter 8**

She felt like she had been staring at the ceiling for hours. The gentle pitter-patter of the rain on the roof failed to lull her to sleep. She could distinctly hear the tick tock of her clock and the eerie creek of the house as it was cooled by the rain and night air. The sleep that she most desperately desired eluded her.

Scenes from the day's events were plaguing her. The gentleness of Shiro's expression. The burning fury in Ranma's. The date. The shouting match. His smile. His sneer. It kept playing on and on in her head.

She groaned, roughly turned on her side and tightly shut her eyes. She tried to let her mind go blank but to no avail.

/chink/

She turned to a prone position and glared up at the ceiling, silently cursing her inability to drift off to sleep.

/chink/

She turned again to lie on her belly, an attempt to find a comfortable position.

/chink/

"Arrggh!" she growled in frustration. She sat up, furiously yanking the blanket that had become a tangled mess around her body.

/chink/

Suddenly, she took notice of the sound. It seemed out of place.

/chink/

It was coming from somewhere in her room. She looked around, her eyes already accustomed to the darkness. There was nothing.

/chink/

It was coming from her window, she realized. She quickly stood up and walked towards the window to investigate. _It's probably just a branch tapping against the window_, she rationalized.

When she looked out the window, there wasn't any tree branch near enough to tap against the glass. She stared at the window, puzzled. She was sure the sound was coming from there.

Suddenly, a pebble hit the glass. A gasp escaped her lips as she stepped back in surprise. She quickly scanned the grounds of the dojo to see the culprit. Suddenly, a flash of lightning illuminated the grounds and there below a tree she saw Shiro's smiling face. Looking up at her, he waved and then agilely leapt from the ground to the tree branch nearest her window.

Akane stood momentarily frozen, too stunned to react. All she could do was stare as he balanced along the tree branch. _What is he doing here? _was the first thought that crossed her mind.

"Akane-chan, please open the window," Shiro said as he gestured for her to open the window. As Shiro stepped forward, the branch suddenly gave a resounding crack as it broke. This snapped Akane out of her reverie. She quickly unlocked the window and slid it open just in time to permit Shiro entry as he leapt from the falling branch to the open window.

"What the heck are you doing here?" Akane said incredulously as he stepped off her desk, dripping wet.

"I – wanted – to," he haltingly said as he tried to catch his breath with his head bowed and his hands upon his knees, "—see – you." He looked up, giving her a sheepish grin.

Akane just stared, gaping at Shiro. _Did I hear him right?_

"Excuse me?"

"I—I wanted to see you," he repeated. He stared into her brown eyes, his expression serious.

Akane looked back at him in disbelief. She couldn't grasp what he was saying, what was happening. _What the heck is he talking about?_

Suddenly, she realized that Shiro was dripping wet, a puddle already forming at his feet. "I better get you some towels. You must be cold." She turned away from him and was about to walk towards her armoire when he captured her in a tight embrace, his drenched body cold against her back. She gasped in surprise. She instinctively struggled to break free. He was too strong for her, her efforts did nothing to loosen his grip. The wetness of his clothes slowly seeped into hers.

"Let me go," she demanded but her voice cracked from fear. "Let me go, Shiro, or else I'll scream," she threatened.

"I won't. I'll never lose you again, Chiyo," he whispered in her hair as his hand moved towards her collarbone where the blue teardrop pendant rested. When his hand found it, he caressed it between his fingers. "I know I've made you wait too long. But I'm here now. I've come to fulfill my promise."

The pendant began to glow and rapidly grew in intensity. As Akane opened her mouth to scream, she, Shiro and her room was engulfed in a blinding light.

* * *

Despite his resolve to apologize, Ranma couldn't seem to get himself to take the first step out of the guest room towards Akane's. His pride still got in the way and he wasn't so sure that late at night would be an appropriate time. He painfully remembered the beating he got when Akane caught him in her room as he tried to get Ryoga a.k.a. P-chan away from her. But he thought that tonight's purpose was… noble. And he wasn't planning to sneak into her room but politely knock on her door and await her bid to enter. 

Suddenly, he felt a chill run down his spine. He quickly sat up and looked at the door. There was a strange presence in the house. He could sense it. A feeling of danger and dread gripped his heart.

"Akane!" He gasped. He quickly slid the guestroom door open and ran to Akane's room.

White blinding light slipped through the space between the door and the door frame. Ranma quickly grabbed the door knob and tried to open it. The door gave a creak but it did not budge. It was locked. Ranma let out an expletive.

The light grew more intense. Ranma forcefully rammed his shoulder against the door. It gave a sharp crack and gave way. But all he could see inside was blinding whiteness.

"Akane!" he screamed.

* * *

He held on to her, not wanting to open his eyes for fear of losing her again. He had waited for so long that having her in his arms felt painfully surreal. But she was there. He could feel the warmth of her skin. He could hear the beating of her heart. 

"Sh-Shiro-kun?"

Her dulcet voice. His name.

"Shiro-kun?"

He felt her gently caress his cheek, silently willing him to look at her. He slowly opened his eyes. His gaze fell upon her beautiful face, gazing worriedly at him.

She was breathtaking and at last, she was his forever.

"Yes, Chiyo-chan?" He gently turned her to face him and smiled warmly at her.

"You were holding me too tightly, Shiro-kun." Her face broke into a wide smile. "You need not have any fear of losing me."

He felt his heart clench. Her words so close to the truth. He had lost her but was given a chance to find her again. The search for her, however, took decades, decades of despair and loneliness. He looked up, blinking to hold back tears.

"I'll never lose you," he uttered, his voice raw with emotion.

"Of course not, silly!" she said giggling as she gave him a playful slap on the shoulder.

He easily captured her hand and planted a kiss on her palm. She gazed at him in surprise. She blushed at the passion she saw in his eyes and quickly lowered her gaze at his chest.

Rich laughter filled the air. It had been a long time since he allowed himself to laugh. It felt liberating.

"You're laughing at me!" She pouted and playfully poked him in the chest.

"I am not!" He grinned sheepishly.

She was trying her best to look sternly at him but the laughter in his eyes proved irresistible. Her face broke into a brilliant smile and laughter flowed from her like the tinkling of chimes.

He couldn't resist. He gently caressed her flushed cheek, her skin silken to the touch.

She stopped laughing and beamed up at him.

He dared to graze her lower lip, pink and inviting, with his thumb. The invitation was too strong that he slowly lowered his lips to hers.

* * *

Ranma landed face first on the ground. He felt disoriented. He pushed himself up surprised to feel grass in between his fingers. 

He looked around, black and white spots danced in his vision. He shook his head to clear it and slowly opened his eyes to look again. He found himself standing in a garden lined with cherry trees full of blosoms. _Where the heck am I?_ he thought.

He wasn't in Akane's room. He looked behind him to check if he'd see the door he came through. There was no door, only more rows of cherry trees that seemed endless. _What the?!_

A sudden bark of laughter caught his attention. He quickly snuck towards the direction of the sound. He cautiously peeked behind a cherry tree and saw two people locked in an embrace, faces hidden in shadow. He was sure that it was a man and a woman - the man wearing a blue gi and a white hakama, the woman in a cream kimono intricately embroidered with cherry blossoms at the hem.

_Could that be Akane?! _he thought wildly. _Can't be! She wouldn't allow no man to touch her like that without clobbering him!_, he silently rationalized.

_If she's not Akane, then where the heck is she?!_ he thought in panic as he looked around for any sign of Akane. He had to be sure about the girl's identity. He had to get closer. He stealthily ran to a cherry tree nearer the pair.

He caught the glimpse of short blue-black hair and sparkling brown eyes, and heard her all too familiar laughter. _Akane!? _he thought incredulously.

To his growing dismay, the young man, the same boy he saw Akane with that afternoon, caressed Akane's cheek with familiarity and intimately grazed her lips with his thumb. _And that son of a— _Ranma's temper exploded as the boy leaned down to claim her lips. _That does it!!! _He leapt out of his hiding place.

"GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF HER!!!"

He was seeing red again. The same boiling rage he had felt when Mikado Sanzenin of the Golden Pair had stolen a kiss from him.

Akane and the boy looked at him in surprise.

The boy's expression darkened into a scowl and he possessively tightened his hold on Akane's waist.

Akane stared at Ranma in confusion.

"AKANE! Why ain't you clobbering this punk?!" Ranma demanded.

Akane looked even more perplexed. She looked up at Shiro. "Akane?" she whispered. A seemingly long silence ensued, broken by the flutter of cherry blossoms brought by a cool breeze.

Although she said it at barely a whisper, it sounded loud and clear to Ranma. Almost too loud. His heart gave a painful lurch. "A-Akane," he whispered her name as if in prayer as he took a step forward. "Akane." He took another step.

Akane stared at him blankly.

Chills went up and down Ranma's spine. _She doesn't remember!_ _It's happening all over again! _Memories of Akane temporarily forgetting about Ranma because of Shampoo's shiatsu technique came flooding back.

"Akane, it's me, Ranma," he quietly said as he took another step forward.

"I'm sorry, sir," Akane said, shaking her head. "You must have me confused with someone else."

"It's me," Ranma said as he gave himself a mock punch on the cheek, "the pervert, the jerk."

"I…" Akane said in hesitation at his certainty that she knew him.

"ENOUGH!" the boy bellowed as he saw Akane's confusion.

"What have you done to her!?" Ranma glared at Shiro accusingly.

"I made her remember me," Shiro leered at him in triumph. "She's mine now. I'm going to take her away from here." He made a move to leave, arms around Akane's waist.

"She's not going anywhere with you," Ranma growled.

"Is that a challenge?" Shiro gave him an amused smile. Without even hearing the reply, he started moving away from Akane with his hands poised over his katana ready to draw it from its sheath.

Ranma took a fighting stance.

Akane stepped forward, touching Shiro's shoulder. "Shiro-kun, please don't," she said softly. "Let's just leave."

"I have to do this, Chiyo-chan," Shiro explained, "or we won't find peace." He gave Akane's hand a squeeze and looked smugly at Ranma, "I keep what is mine."

Akane looked between them worriedly but slowly nodded with understanding and stepped back under the shade of a cherry tree.

Ranma scowled. "We'll see about that," he muttered. "She was never yours to begin with… AKANE'S MY FIANCEE!!!"

Ranma took the offensive and launched his attack. He quickly closed the gap between them and threw a powerful double punch and kick.

Shiro adeptly evaded his attack.

Ranma kicked up the pace a notch and resorted to his Chestnuts Over a Roasting Fire technique.

He again effectively eluded every punch.

_He's quick! _Ranma thought in alarm. He leapt away to formulate another attack.

"Is that all you've got?" Shiro sneered at Ranma. "I guess it's my turn."

Ranma looked in surprise as Shiro seemingly vanished into thin air. He quickly concentrated on the sounds around him, making himself keener to his surroundings. At the last second, he heard the silent swish of the blade slicing through the air and agilely sidestepped, avoiding Shiro's blade by a few centimeters.

Shiro sneered at him. "I'm impressed. But I won't miss next time." Again, he disappeared.

* * *

Chiyo looked on as the two men fought. Her heart was pounding as she watched them go head to head in battle. Both appeared equal in skill and speed. 

Her mind was also racing as she tried to remember who the pigtailed boy was. _Ranma_. _That was his name. Akane. That's what he called me. _

She couldn't remember him. When she thought more about it, she couldn't remember anything else except for Shiro-kun and this strong feeling that she has for him. But other than that, she was drawing a blank.

Panic surged into her as she realized that she had no memory about herself or anyone else other than Shiro. _Who am I?!_ _I don't know who I am!_ She looked around in panic, trying to draw answers from things around her. _I don't know where I am!_

"Shiro," she moaned. Her vision was blurred with tears. Her whole body began to tremble. "Shiro."

She fell to her knees as she struggled with the blankness. It was as if she never existed before this moment.

"Shiro." She hugged herself tightly, rocking back and forth. She stared again at the two figures fighting in the distance, finding comfort in their familiarity.

The pigtailed boy barely missed Shiro's blade from skewering him, his white tank top torn at various places and stained scarlet with blood. He fell against the trunk of a cherry tree tired but still he managed to glare defiantly at Shiro. He barely evaded another slash that cut the wood deeply.

A new consciousness entered heavily into her mind, pushing, struggling to take over the emptiness. She suddenly felt like her head was splitting open. She shut her eyes tightly and bit her lip to stop herself from screaming.

The face of the pigtailed boy flashed in her mind with a name she suddenly recognized.

_Ranma!_

With that single name, a flood of memories came rushing in. A pigtailed girl with a panda showing up in the living room. A pigtailed boy stepping out of a furo. A fight with a fanged boy at a school field. A boy on top a tree mewing like a cat. A boy in ice skates barely able to stand up. So many more memories flowed into her that she could barely make sense of them. But the deluge was a most welcomed feeling.

_Akane is MY fiancée. You touch her and I'll kill you._

These words resounded in her mind. "Akane," she whispered. Her eyes suddenly flew open as if awakening from a nightmare. "I'm Akane," she gasped.

The blue pendant she was wearing burst into bright white light that swallowed everything.

* * *

The light slowly faded. 

Shiro found himself back in Akane's room. He squeezed his eyes shut to clear the white spots muddling his vision.

He looked around and saw his Chiyo-chan kneeling on the bed, cheeks stained with tears. His attention was riveted by the once blue pendant that had turned into a dull black.

Ranma took advantage of Shiro's distraction to disarm him with a swift kick to the wrist. The katana flew from his grip and skidded underneath Akane's bed.

Shiro did not seem to notice. "Chiyo-chan?" He just kept staring at the girl on the bed. "Chiyo?"

The girl stared back at him and subtly shook her head. Chiyo was no longer peering at him from those clear brown eyes.

A crazed look came over Shiro's expression distorting his handsome face. "NOOOOOOO!!!"

He quickly grabbed a dagger hidden in his gi and rushed towards Akane. "Give her back! Give her back to me!" he cried.

"NO!" Ranma quickly leapt into action, launching himself on Shiro and pinning him down on the floor. He struggled fiercely but Ranma was able to hold him down and rid him of the dagger.

"Chiyo… Chiyo…," he moaned. "I can't lose you, Chiyo. I can't! I just can't!" he sobbed.

"Akane?" Ranma looked at the familiar girl on the bed.

"Yes, Ranma," Akane replied with a nod. "It's me."

_She remembers me. _Ranma sighed in relief. _She's back._

Akane started to step off the bed when the clasp of her necklace broke.

The pendant fell to the floor, shattering like glass.

"It's broken," Akane muttered to herself as she stared at the shattered pieces. As she reached down to start picking them up, wisps of smoke lifted up from the broken pieces. She sat back on her bed in surprise.

The smoke gathered together, swirled and materialized into a translucent figure of a girl in the likeness of Akane. Her long hair was tied back in a ponytail and she was dressed in a traditional wedding kimono.

Akane and Ranma were transfixed by the figure.

"It's me," Akane said in awe.

"It's you," Ranma said at the same time.

The figure looked around the room until her eyes fell on Shiro, who was lying prostrate on the floor, sobbing, defeated.

"Shiro-kun," the figure called out softly.

"Ch-chiyo?" Shiro stammered as he struggled to look up to see who had spoken.

"Yes, it's me." The figure nodded and smiled sadly.

With a sudden surge of strength and speed, Shiro broke free from Ranma's grasp, sending him sliding across the floor.

"Oh, Chiyo!" He ran to embrace her but went right through her. He stared at her ghost-like figure in disbelief. A single tear rolled down his already tear-stained cheek.

The figure glided towards him and reached out to touch his face. He only felt coldness rather than the warmth and solidity of fingertips. "I'm sorry, Shiro-kun. I waited and fought to stay alive. For us. For our love. But I couldn't." Luminous tears trickled down her face.

"When I died, I thought I'd see you on the other side but when I woke from death, I found myself trapped." She looked down on the shattered pieces of the pendant. "Trapped in the pendant until you find me."

Shiro looked away from her in shame and whimpered, "I'm so sorry, so sorry."

"No, love," Chiyo shook her head. "You've fulfilled your promise. You've come back to me."

Chiyo leaned down and held her hand out to Shiro, coaxing him to stand up. Shiro took her hand and as he stood up, he gradually crumbled into dust until only a white translucent semblance of him remained.

Shiro looked down at Chiyo tenderly. "I love you," he whispered as he leaned down to kiss her.

"I love you," she whispered back as their lips met in a sweet kiss.

Slowly, both figures began to fade away into the darkness.

The couple gave Akane, who was still sitting on the bed, and Ranma, who was picking himself up from the floor, a grateful and almost affectionate smile.

"Your hearts are in the right place," Chiyo advised before she and Shiro completely disappeared.

Then, there was darkness. Only the steady pitter-patter of the rain from outside could be heard.

Akane continued to stare at the spot where Chiyo and Shiro had faded away.

Ranma winced from the sharp pain he was feeling from cuts and bruises he sustained from the duel as he surveyed his body for more injuries.

"'Kane, you okay?" Ranma looked at Akane in concern as she remained unmoving.

Snapped back to reality by his voice, Akane looked up at him and nodded. "I should get the first aid kit so we can tend to your wounds."

She quickly stood up and took a few unsteady steps towards the door. The strain of the evening suddenly hit her turning her knees to Jell-o. She found herself falling on her knees.

With lightning speed, Ranma caught her before she hit the floor.

"Akane, you idiot," Ranma said as he supported and lifted her up with his arms tightly around her waist.

Akane flushed in embarrassment at her clumsiness and at the insult from Ranma. She was about to glare and snap at him when she found herself staring at gentle blue eyes, peering down at her with a mixture of concern and amusement.

His mirth was infectious that her frown turned into a smile.

"There, you look more beautiful when you smile."

"Ranma, you are an idiot." Her smile turned into laughter.

"What!" Ranma exclaimed, his eyes twinkling with delight.

Suddenly, the lights came on. Soun whose eyes already started flooding with tears stood frozen by the light switch staring at his daughter and future son-in-law. Just a few steps behind him by the doorway were Genma in panda form, Kasumi, Nabiki and Happosai agape and staring at the unusual scene.

"Oh my!" Kasumi exclaimed with both her hands on her cheeks pink with embarrassment.

Ranma and Akane instinctively jumped apart.

"W—wait! It—it's not what you think!" Ranma sputtered defensively as a blush slowly crept up his cheeks.

Genma proudly held up a signboard that said, "That's my boy!"

"We better leave the two lovebirds alone, daddy," Nabiki said as she gave Akane and Ranma a wink and a smirk.

"Nabiki!" Kasumi scolded her sister. "They're too young. They shouldn't be doing these things yet, not until they're married."

"We're not doing anything!" Akane exclaimed. Her face burned with embarrassment.

"How could you! How could you, Akane-chan!" Happosai sniffed. "I'll forgive you if you let me weep on your bosoms." He launched himself towards Akane.

"Oh no, you won't!" Ranma effectively stopped Happosai with a kick that sent him flying through the window.

Panting heavily, Ranma tried to explain again. "It's not what you think."

"Now, now, son, it's okay," Soun sniffled and gently patted Ranma's shoulder. "We understand, don't we, Saotome-kun?"

"Urhu, urhu." The panda nodded enthusiastically.

"You do, dad? Akane looked up at him stunned. Ranma turned to Akane with a perplexed look.

"Yes, we understand perfectly," Soun said firmly. "We'll have to plan the wedding sooner. Right, Saotome-kun?"

The panda quickly lifted up another signboard that said, "You're absolutely right, Tendo-kun!"

"Dad!"

"Pop!"

Akane and Ranma groaned in unison.

- The End -

Until my next fanfiction! Adieu! Raven Nyx signing off… only for now.


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